Land Before Time: The Mysterious World
by Threehorn
Summary: The Mysterious things in the world some can not explain. A Mystery that will bring the gang of the Great Valley to understand time itself. Twist of events will lead to one outcome... which out come will that be? plzs read & review.
1. Prologue

Prologue 

In the darkness of space, millions of lights twinkle. Their light brings life to the dark skies. One of the specks of light is a blue, wet, world with the land around the water constantly shifting and moving. Mighty earthquakes shook the earth in the time of the dinosaurs—before the humans, the birds, the tigers, and even mammoths.

Many of the dinosaurs found it tough to survive. Routes that once existed had disappeared and many of the migrating dinosaurs found it difficult to find their way to their home to a land of green trees, fresh water, peace and prosperity for all—the Great Valley.

There is a story that is told to many creatures where time seems endless and where a world in a world watches over the Earth. The story of this place has been told a thousand times over. It is a mysterious world; no one has ever seen or heard its whispers…but if you listen you may have the opportunity to hear it.

Original concept by "Threehorn"

Revised version by "Arvens" (Adam Raychel)


	2. Chapter 1: Night Fire

**Chapter 1: Night Fire**

The Great Valley usually would have been sleeping at this time, after the Great Circle had set and the night circle was high in the sky. This night was different then any other and this was because of the sky was lit with flying rocks, burning giving a show none of the Great Valley dinosaurs have ever seen without the fear of one crashing on the ground.

Littlefoot sat calmly by the large Longnecks, which were his Grandma and Grandpa, watching the flying rocks burn to nothing in the sky. "Wow tonight looks cool Grandpa, Grandma," Littlefoot stared at the sky with a happy smile.

"Indeed it is Littlefoot. Indeed it is," Grandpa replied broadly as he watched the flying rocks streak across the night sky.

"After the flying rocks stop it will be time for your sleep little one," Grandma said with a smile as they continued to watch the show that the burning rocks gave.

In the other part of the Great Valley, Cera and her dad watched the rocks falling from the sky.

"Daddy, how many have you seen?" Cera asked trying to keep count of each one appearing in the sky.

"Cera that a child game counting falling rocks. I am not a child!" Cera's Dad grunted not liking the idea of counting stupid falling rocks at all.

"Come on Daddy. No one around to see you do it and I promise I will not tell anyone," Cera said trying to get her dad to join in counting the rocks.

"Oh… oh alright… and you better not tell anyone this," Cera's dad looked at Cera with a hard look.

"Right Daddy," Cera said nervously and looked back at the sky with her dad who joined in the counting of the rocks falling. She also made sure no one else was watching either.

With Ducky and Spike, they watched the flying rocks from the Tall Trees after a little begging to their mum. Both sat there not saying much, watching the rocks die out in the sky.

"Wow Spike! The sky looks all fire tonight!" Ducky said with a heart-warming smile.

"Hey Ducky, hey Spike. Mama let me come to Tall Trees after seeing you two," Petrie said flying up to them and landing on a fallen tree which been down for quite some time.

Spike nods with his usual sounds as he carried on staring at the night sky. "Hi Petrie, the sky full of flying rocks tonight. Yep, yep, yep!" Ducky spoke out looking at Petrie then looking at the sky.

"Me never seen so many flying rocks in me whole life!" Petrie said staring at the night sky. His sight quickly changed when the ground started to shake.

"EARTHSHAKE!" Ducky screamed as she and Spike ran to their nest and Petrie, doing the same, headed for his nest.

"Grandpa look!" Littlefoot cried out staring at the sky in fear. Grandpa looked in the direction Littlefoot was looking in.

"Oh my! That is large!" Grandma spoke in fear, seeing a large flying rock shoot over them across the sky. Littlefoot hid under his grandparents feeling scared as the ground shook and the burning noise of the large rock could be heard ringing in their ears.

All of a sudden, Littlefoot noticed a small flash before the large flying rock, shooting across the sky at high speed, blew up in a instant. Even without a shockwave from the blast, it just blew up into nothing but dust in the sky.

"That was very strange it just…" Grandpa paused not able to come up with anything about what they just saw happen to the large flying rock.

"Maybe it was only an earthshaker rock that was as harmless as the other rocks in the sky" Grandma suggested staring at the now calm and quiet sky.

"What about that little, bright light on it before blowing up?" Littlefoot piped up.

"What bright, light Littlefoot?" Grandma asked not seeing what he saw before the large flying rock self-destructed.

"Littlefoot, we didn't see any light come from it," Grandpa told Littlefoot. Littlefoot sighed and knew no point carrying on talking about what he saw.

"Come on now Littlefoot, it's time for you to get some sleep," Grandma said to him sweetly.

"But Grandma… I am not…" Littlefoot yawns, "…sleepy." Littlefoot finished off the sentence with his grandparents laughing softly. "Ok maybe I am," Littlefoot gave in and started to walk to his sleeping hole with his grandparents close behind.

"Maybe we should talk to the other adults about this tomorrow," Grandpa came up with a quick suggestion.

"Yes maybe that is a good idea," Grandma agreed as they walked on.

Littlefoot settled into his sleeping hole wondering what the bright light that appeared before the large rock blow up in a strange way.

The next day, all the grownups gathered at the meeting grounds by the arched rock. Everyone was talking in a disturbed manner about the large flying rock that just went bang with no after effect.

"Now, now. Can we all calm down?" Grandpa asked the others in a calm voice getting everyone to stop talking all at once.

"How can we be calm! That large flying rock last night just… well blew out very strangely," Mr Threehorn said in an unpleased tone.

"At least it didn't land or we wouldn't be standing here talking, so we should be glad it did blow up in the sky," Grandma pointed out to the other adults with all of them nodding in reply.

"I am not sure why but I am glad that my Ducky and Spike can grow up still without fearing another flying rock like that," Ducky's mum said with appeasement.

"Yes that is true, all of our children are safe even they had to witness that large rock going through the sky making that Earthshake," Petrie's mum agreed to what Ducky's mum stated.

"Yes, but the last one to hit the ground stopped the Thundering falls from letting us have water," Grandpa said forwarningly.

"So what's your point?" Mr Threehorn looked up at the Longneck with his usual dead, cold stare.

"My point is that the rock was smaller then the one that blew up in the night sky yesterday," Grandpa replied and Mr Threehorn gave a nod with a grunt remembering that the Longneck was right about that.

"So Longneck tell us why you think it just blew up in the sky?" Mr Threehorn grumbled and everyone else looked at Grandpa waiting for an answer.

"I am not really sure, but Littlefoot did say that there was a bright light for a moment before the rock blew up," Grandpa told the other adults and looked at the sky thinking about it some more.

"Maybe the rock was burning too much and it just broke apart but into little, harmless pieces," Petrie's mum suggested.

"Maybe but there is no real answer to come up with… this is a mystery that not even we can answer," Grandpa spoke calmly looking at each adult that turned up for the meeting and all nodding in reply.

"Well, that settles that. Now I must go," Mr Threehorn said walking off and with that everyone else did too, leaving the area empty once more.

Down by the Tall Trees, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Spike and Petrie were sitting around keeping themselves amused since the grownups had told them all not to go too far whilst they were all at the meeting.

"I hate doing nothing, while the grownups are busy talking about the dumb rock just burning up in the sky last night. It's not fair!" Cera walked back and forwards in front of the others.

Littlefoot's eyes moved side to side watching Cera pace back and forwards "I know Cera but Grandpa saying that it was weird how the flying rock, something that big, just blows up," Littlefoot told Cera.

"Yeah Cera, Mama said that it was odd that rock blow like that!" Petrie joined in the talk with Cera and Littlefoot.

"Yep, yep, yep. He is right Cera. A rock just blows up and no one knows why," Ducky jumped off the downed tree she sat on walking up to Cera.

"Yeah I know, but whenever something weird happens we get stuck doing nothing… it's not fair!" Cera grunted in anger and started to pace again.

"True…" Littlefoot sighs looking at the clear sky. "Wonder if something did it," Littlefoot whispers to himself not letting anyone hear it.


	3. Chapter 2: A Signal Visitor

**Chapter 2: A Signal Visitor**

Littlefoot's Grandpa walked up to the Tall Trees to give the news to the children that they can go off and play. He was still concerned about last night but the danger had passed and he felt he should let the children have fun before they try to go on an adventure outside the Great Valley like so many times before.

"Children," Grandpa called from a small distance away from the Tall Trees. In a split moment, Littlefoot and his friends come out the Tall Trees and come up to Grandpa.

"Hey Grandpa! Is the meeting already over?" Littlefoot asked straight away.

"Yes it is Littlefoot," Grandpa gave a little laugh, "There was no real threat from last night so you all can go and play now." Grandpa gave a warm smile.

"Right on!" Cera cheered.

"Thank you Littlefoot's Grandpa! Thank you!" Ducky jumped up and down clapping.

"Me know what game… Not it!" Petrie said flying over the others very happy to go around the Valley and have some fun.

Spike nods as he dived into some leaves and Ducky giggled, "Spike is pleased too, yes, yes, yes!" Ducky hugged Spike.

"Now kids, play safe and don't get into trouble," Grandpa told them and they started to make a move to have some fun.

"Oh, Littlefoot?" Littlefoot stops and look back at his Grandpa.

"Yes Grandpa?" Littlefoot went up to him.

"We have a special visitor coming to the Great Valley who came just a little while back. He's someone you know…" Grandpa said and Littlefoot's expiation changed with a half smile and shocked face.

"Doc? He's back in the Great Valley!" Littlefoot beamed and ran off to catch up with the others, "Thanks for the great news Grandpa!" Littlefoot called out as he ran off to his friends.

Grandpa smiled and slowly went to the Thundering Falls, "I knew that would make Littlefoot happy. He will be glad to see Doc again."

Littlefoot ran as fast as he could to catch up with the others. "Hey guys, wait up!" Littlefoot called out.

Without warning, Cera popped out the bushes "BOO!"

"Ah!" Littlefoot tripped over his front legs and landed on his face sliding along the dusty ground with his rear in the air. He came to a halt next to Spike with Ducky and Petrie on top, staring at him.

"Are you ok Littlefoot?" Ducky asked as Littlefoot slowly picked himself up and looked her with a small smile.

"Yeah, I am alright Ducky," Littlefoot looked at them with a bit of a bigger smile not to worry them at all, Cera walked up to them grinning. "I could have been hurt bad Cera… it not that funny!" Littlefoot said frowning at her.

"Sorry about that Littlefoot, if I knew you would trip over like that I wouldn't have done it…" Cera said guilty looking at Littlefoot.

"It's alright, I am not hurt that bad, lets play…" Littlefoot taps Cera with his nose and runs, "Not it!"

"Run Cera is it!" Ducky runs off with Littlefoot, so does spike and Petrie.

"Hey no fair! I will get you for that!" Cera runs after them.

A lonely Longneck watches from nearby eating some of the leaves from a tree and swallowed. "Nice kid you have there, been a while since I saw him last," Doc turns his head facing Grandpa and Grandma.

"He's all we have left. He's very important to us and you know it since the last time you came and saved our Littlefoot," Grandma said to Doc and looked at the children playing.

"I can tell he's important to you and there has been odd things happening outside the Great Valley," Doc spoke calmly.

Grandpa looked at him uneasily, "What type of odd things?"

"Odd bright light in the sky, something that I never seen before, but it doesn't bother me." Doc went back to eating the leaves of a tree next to him.

Grandma and Grandpa looked at each other.

"We also noticed these bright lights for a little while but none of them ever got near the Valley so we have nothing to worry about," Grandpa looked at the sky.

"You don't have to worry then. These bright lights have only been in that direction," Doc lifted his head, looking over towards to the right of Threehorn Peak.

"That's where the Land of Mists is. Maybe it's part of the Circle of Life after all," Grandma looked in the direction which Doc was.

"Maybe and maybe not. No one knows for sure since I know that some herds now take a route around the Land of Mist," Doc told Littlefoot's grandparents, "Well have a nice day, I have done the talk for the day." Doc starts to walk away from Grandma and Grandpa.

"I will never get use to his silence and loneliness," Grandpa gave a small laugh.

Grandma gave a small laugh as well, "I know what you mean dear." They both finished laughing and went back to eating their fill for the day.

Meanwhile, by a watering hole, Littlefoot was playing Hide-go-Seek and was looking for Ducky, Cera, Spike and Petrie. He looked around the bushes and found no one; he looked in some hollow trees and still found none of them. "Where are they?" Littlefoot looked up at a tree and saw the flyer of the group Petrie "Hey Petrie! I found you!" Littlefoot called out.

"Me almost not found, you good Littlefoot," Petrie flaps his wings and flew down to Littlefoot land on his head.

"So where do you think others are?" Petrie looked around and saw none of the others in sight.

Littlefoot walked over to some bushes and put his head through them. He looked in there and found Ducky.

"Hey Ducky, I found you!" Ducky looked at him and giggled.

"Yep, yep, yep! You did Littlefoot! You did find me!" Ducky giggled a little bit more before coming out of her hiding place looking at Littlefoot. He pulled his head out from the bushes and looked at her.

"Littlefoot, you still have to find Spike and Cera. You know Cera she is good at hiding, yes she is."

Littlefoot knew full well that Ducky was right about Cera. She was good at this game; a bit too good.

"Well let's find Spike and then Cera," Littlefoot suggested.

"Good idea Littlefoot," Petrie agreed to the suggestion.

"Yep! Lets look for Spike!" Ducky got on top of Littlefoot.

Cera watched them from her hiding spot "Heh! No way they can find me," she whispered to herself proudly.

"Hello kid," a deep voice said from behind her.

"Shhh! I don't what them to find me," Cera looked at who was talking and stared at a face with a scar on his right side of his nose, "Doc?"

"Yes, I came to have a check on you kids, to see how you lot are doing," Doc replied raising his head and looked at the others. He also saw Spike in his hiding place eating it away.

"Hey guys come here!" Cera called out and they all came over.

"Doc! I guessed right, you did come back to the Great Valley!" Littlefoot beamed with joy at seeing Doc again.

"Hello kid, I am just passing through like always," Doc said more to Littlefoot then the others. Littlefoot looked down and Doc lifted his head a bit with the tip of his tail so Littlefoot was looking at him.

"Remember your Grandpa is the real protector here, I am just a loner with no one left. Your Grandpa is different. He has you and that's something that I don't have kid. I am also too old for this now," Doc said to Littlefoot with an always calm and lonely voice.

"Err… Doc why are you talking this much now? You didn't last time," Cera said noticing something a bit odd.

"You're sharp kid. I am only talking to you a lot now since I might not come back again, my time is near," Doc told Cera and the others. They looked at him in shock. "Don't worry, I will keep you all in my mind. You five kids are special, I can see that now, well I have talked enough. Time for me to leave and keep strong," Doc gave a small smile and walked away.

They stood there looking at him walk away in disbelief.

"Wow he's not that all bad after all… I guess it took a lot to him to show his feelings out for a time," Cera said with a smile even knowing what Doc said to them.

"Yeah. The Lone Dinosaur for sure, me hope he has a good journey," Petrie looked at Cera and the others also smiling a bit.

"Yes, yes, yes. I am happy to see Doc again, he still my hero! He saved Littlefoot two times, yes he did!" Ducky also smiled happily with Spike and she looked at Littlefoot who was silent. "Littlefoot are you ok?"

"Yeah I am, even it was a short visit from Doc, it was still good to see him but maybe this is the last time we will get to see him," Littlefoot said in a depressed voice, looking down a bit.

"Hey Littlefoot don't feel sad. Doc wouldn't like to see you like this," Cera said to him and he looked at her with a smile.

"Yeah your right Cera," Littlefoot replied in a much cheery way.

"Let's play some more," Petrie said and they all nodded walking back to the watering hole except Littlefoot. He watched Doc walk away until the massive dinosaur was out of view, then, he quickly joined the others.


	4. Chapter 3: The Land of Mist

Chapter 3: The Land of Mist 

Past the mountains, near Threehorn peak, lies a land full of mist. The storm clouds flowed over the mountains surrounding the land causing it to hold water in a natural bowl which, in some places, was flooded bit too much. The land near the rivers swelled and grew making it water-logged weakening the banks as they crumbled into the fast-flowing streams like sandstone.

However, a new sight to the Land of Mist, were the Smoke Flies and Bright Lights that lit the skies every night. As this time, a herd of Longnecks started to pass through the Land of Mist as this new sight started up.

In this herd was a young, little Longneck named Ali. She and her mother travelling with this herd travelling from place-to-place, never staying on one place for too long. This had been the first time since 3 cold times (A/N: 3 years) they had chosen to travel through the Land of Mist. In a way, they had no choice but to take this route. The shifting land destroyed the other route they usually took.

Ali looked up to see a Smoke Fly shoot across the sky at a great speed and disappeared when a Bright Light appeared on top of it.

"Mother? Is that the Smoke Flies we heard about?" Ali asked seeing another two shoot over them making a whooshing sound mixed with a faint noise of burning even though it wasn't.

"Yes dear, I think they are. They are even making the sounds the Dinosaurs told the elder," Ali's mother replied seeing two more Bright Lights that looked like they were eating the trail of the Smoke Flies.

"Mother look! Five of 'em!" Ali shouted out. Her mother looked as well to see five Smoke Flies shoot passed one by one and, as the one before it, disappeared when the Bright Lights appeared.

"Just like the ones before the Bright Lights got them. Wonder what happened if a Smoke Fly didn't get hit by the Bright Light?" the Elder spoke up with the herd turning to look at her, "The sooner we out of the Land of Mist the better. These Smoke Flies and Bright Lights may be dangerous," the Elder told them all with a weary voice before walking ahead of the Longnecks. The others followed close behind making sure no one got lost within the thick mist.

"Mother do you think they are?" Ali asked as they walked with the other members of the herd.

"No idea Ali. The Wise one hasn't been wrong very often," Ali's mother replied in a calm and caring voice. Ali nods in reply keeping up with her mother's pace.

Meanwhile, in another area of the Land of Mist, two unlikely friends get into another match of a outburst yelling at each other, saying stuff like, 'Who needs you' and 'I am better working alone'.

"You would be dead by now if it wasn't for my teeth!" Dil growled glaring her many rows of teeth.

"You stupid Belly Dragger! I am the eyes! That's more important! Without me you would walk into everything!" Icky shouted back. They both snarled at each other.

"Fine! I will work alone and prove you wrong!" Dil turned away whacking Icky with her tail, which sent him flying into a tree.

"Ow… I hate it when she does that…" Icky said recovering his senses. Once he saw Dil was gone, he flapped his wings. Once he was airborne and looked around,

"Dil? DIL! Where did you go?" Icky called out but heard nothing, "Come on Dil this is no time for jokes… we can't work on our own!" Icky looked around but still saw nothing nor heard anything from the Belly Dragger, Dil.

Icky flew above the treetops which something any flying types did since the Smoke Flies appeared in the sky in the Land of Mist. Icky forgot about this as he looked around at the ground from a height. He flew high to see if he could see his friend and partner Dil, even though they didn't get along. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a Smoke Fly shot by, missing Icky by mere inches.

"Ahh!" Icky yelped in fear and went into the trees to hide. He poked his head out to see where the Smoke Fly came from and what he saw totally scared him. He saw a weird, ring-like ripple in the clear sky that couldn't have been seen on the ground because of all the mist.

"What… what is that th…" Before he could finish what he was saying, the shock was too much and it made him faint, falling backwards onto the ground below.

Dil walked almost blindly, not knowing where she was going but she did hear a Smoke Fly shoot over her. She saw a flash with her poor vision and saw that the Smoke Fly was no more.

"Those things don't help my bad vision… it makes me see lights in front," Dil groaned and then looked around, "Icky? Icky? Are you there? I am lost… ICKY!" Dil called out with a sound of a Belly Dragger's roar mixed with it but nothing came back in reply. She knew he was out of hearing range. Dil slowly dragged herself to the water edge and went in it and trying her very hardest to keep an eye out for anyone.

Back with Ali's herd, they made their way through the foggy land and came to a clearing where the mist had lifted slightly.

"This will do for our resting site for tonight. We will get up early tomorrow and head out the Land of Mist by morning," the Elder told the herd. They all nodded in reply and started to make their way to sleeping spots around the clear area.

"Mother can I go play?" Ali asked her mother.

Ali's mother lowered her head and rubbed her gently with her daughter's.

"Alright Ali, just stay in the clearing near the herd, don't go into the woods alone. I don't want you to get lost in there."

"Ok mother, I promise!" Ali smiled and ran off to have a little fun.

"She has your spirit," the Elder said to Ali's mother.

"I know she does, but where are we going exactly?" Ali's mother looked at the Elder baring the question in mind.

"We are going to the Great Valley. I have heard that a large flying rock almost hit there the other day," the Elder informed Ali's mother.

Ali's mother liked the news about going to the Great Valley since this would be the first time in ages since Ali had seen her friends from there but the large flying rock sounded like a strong reason to investigate.

"Yes Elder, I see why we going to the Great Valley. A very wise decision indeed."

The Elder smiled a bit.

"They don't call me 'the elder' for nothing my dear," she said walking away from Ali's mother towards a spot near the edge of the settlement where the other Longnecks had gathered for the night. Ali's mother looked at the Elder and then turned to look at her daughter playing around jumping over other adult Longneck tails. Even the sound of the Smoke Flies had stopped making the night a quiet one.

But still they all really wanted an answer to this weird new arrival of Smoke Flies and Bright Lights. It was obvious that these two new arrivals were connected in some way. It was a mystery to all the Dinosaurs who witness the Smoke Flies and Bright Lights in the Land of Mist.


	5. Chapter 4: Peaceful Dreams

**Chapter 4: Peaceful Dreams**

In a very large place, people gather in their thousands, sitting in their sits getting ready for the show. Amongst them was a little boy no older than six years old sat in a chair right near the stage platform where the final song will be sung.

"Welcome all to the last song of the night and it going to be performed by the star of the season… Give it up for…Miss Longston!" the commentator shouted out through his microphone. In response, a loud cheer erupted from the massive crowd.

The crowd calmed down and the commentator placed the microphone near him

"Now here she is the one you all been waiting for! Miss Longston!" The lights faded and spotlights lit on a lady with rich, long, brown hair, blue-sky jeans, white top and trainers on. Not exactly the image people would expect to see from a star well known and her face was something to be seen; a real heart-stopper for most men.

She took a step getting ready for the singing the song.

_(A/N: Song: If we hold on Together)_

The Music started to play with a steady start from a piano.

After 16 seconds she started to sing the song.

Don't lose your way

With each passing day

You've come so far

Don't throw it away

_/Second Piano started to play /_

Let be believing

Dreams are for weaving

Wonders are waiting to start

_/Drums started with soft taping/_

Live your story

Faith, hope and glory

Hold to the truth in your heart.

If we hold on together

I know our dreams will never die

Dreams see us through to forever

Where clouds roll by

And for you and I

_/She walks down the platform towards the boy in the seat right next to the stage. Violin starts to play/_

Souls in the wind

Must learn how to bend

Seek out a star

Hold on to the end

_/She holds her hand out to him and he grabs it. She picks him up and heading back to the main stage still singing walking backwards/_

Valley, mountain

There is a fountain

Washes our tears all the way

Waves are swaying

Someone is praying

Please let us come home to stay

If we hold on together

I know our dreams will never die

Dreams see us through to forever

Where clouds roll by

For you and I

When we are all there in the dark

We'll dream about the sun

In the dark we'll feel the light

Warm our hearts

Everyone

_/Looks at the boy with a smile as she sings/_

If we hold on together

I know our dreams will never die

Dreams see us through to forever

As high as souls can fly

The clouds roll by

For you and I

_/With her free hand, she stretches out to the right, singing the last note/_

The song dies down and then a mighty, large cheer from the crowd with claps that echoed in the huge, music hall.

The boy looked at Miss Longston.

"Mum you were great!" the boy whispered to her.

"Yes son. It was and I couldn't do it without you sweetheart," she replied and kissed him on the forehead, "Now let's go backstage." She walks off the stage with her carrying her son in her left arm.

She goes backstage to meet a man.

"That was perfect Michelle! You get better every time and your son is as handsome as ever," the man said with a smile.

"Thank you George and my son Wayne, he is part of me when we're not together," Michelle said while looking at her son as she put him on the ground.

"Huh? Pardon? What?" George blinked in confusion not getting the gist of what Michelle had just said to him.

"The heart… we're always together, in our hearts. Even when we're not together all the time," Michelle said trying to get George to understand. Even though he was the manager, he wasn't one much for philosophy, proverbs or morals. Money would have been his language like most people.

"Oh I see heart ha ha ha! Nice saying! Maybe I should add it to the advertisement," he said with a laugh but soon stopped when Mitchell grabbed him by the shirt.

"If you dare do that, I will personal throw you in that dumpster in the alley! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?" Michelle said angrily at the manger who was now scared half to death.

"…Crystal!" he replied squeakily staring into her flaming eyes in total fright. She released her tight grip on his shirt.

"Good. Well I am going home now to spend some time with my son," Michelle told George flatly as she walked by holding Wayne's hand. George swiftly moved out of the way and adjusted his collar.

"Mum? Why be so mean?" Wayne asked as they walked towards the back doors of the building.

"Because he only cares about money and not us," she replied still angry.

"Does he have family like me and you?" Wayne asked.

"So young and asking questions, you can see the answers in here," Mitchell kneeled down and place her hand on his chest.

"My heart?" Wayne blinked a bit perplexed.

"Yes son… your heart. Follow your heart, it will lead to the right answers but listen closely," Mitchell stood up and walked on to the door opening it up. Wayne put his left hand on his chest and felt his heart thumping against it.

"Mum, I don't understand what you mean," Wayne sighed.

"Don't worry, you will soon Wayne," she smiled looking back at him and walked through the door. As she opened the back door, a bright light came from it blinding Wayne's view.


	6. Chapter 5: Riddle da little

**Chapter 5: Riddle da little**

He opened his eyes, looking at a reddish sky and sat up looking at the landscape. The view he saw was of a motorway with burned out cars with rust on them. He carried on looking at the land, turning his head to see large, cracked holes, half of hills and very little grass and trees alive with some green on the leaves or blades of the grass.

Wayne got up, picked up the backpack he was resting his head on while he slept. It had been about 9 years since the dream he had of his past. Dusting off his mud-caked jeans, he grabbed his black, leather coat and put it on over his black T-shirt and finally bent down to tie his shoelaces of his greyish-white trainers.

Once he did that, he brushed his brown hair back a bit with his left hand and looked to the right then left of the old motorway.

"Which way? I could go back the way I came or go the way I was heading yesterday," he said aloud to himself. He looked back to his right and then started to walk alongside the road. He looked at his watch, which said

'6:45am. April 23rd 2097'

He sighed softly looking at the date.

"I can't believe it been almost 9 years already..." Wayne stopped and looked towards the rising sun.

"Been alone for so long... I can't forget that huge quake... and can't forget Mum... I am still here because of her." Tears start to form in his eyes,

"Mum if you can hear me... thank you for letting me live on. Even this is the harshest of times I will never forget you. You're always on my mind… and in my heart," Wayne said softly as the wind carried his words away.

Wayne turned back in the direction he was walking and went on his way. After thirty minutes of walking, he came to a stop. He noticed the land in the distance looked a bit off and started to run to it when he noticed there was no path between the off-looking land ahead. He slowed himself down and tripped over a loose stone and landed on his backside. Although it was a bit painful, he praised his luck as he crawled on his hands and knees to the edge and looked over it to see a red river.

"Whoa crap!... a river of lava!... that was too close!" Wayne wiped his forehead with a small smile of relief he wasn't burned to a crisp.

This was cut short when he heard noises which he hadn't heard for a while.

"No it can't be… it sounds… like trucks…" Wayne looked in the direction of the sound and went towards it, keeping his distance from the edge of the cliff. Looking back, he saw the motorway cut away by the large valley-like hole that had been formed by the lava.

"From what I can tell, this river of lave been flowing since The Garlertic Earthquake…" Wayne turned back to where he was going and listened for the noises.

The noise was getting louder every metre he got closer. He knew he was closing on the sound and started to hear a buzzing noise. He looked down to see trip wires and land mines.

"Holy God of hell! What the hell going on? Landmines and trip wires all over the place… this can't be good," Wayne said to himself almost shouting out the words. He slowly stepped over the trip wires and landmines being careful not to step on any of them.

About an hour later, Wayne manage to get through twenty metres of booby traps and came up to a hill. He slowly crawled up it and peeked over the top a bit and found a large building with two smaller ones nearby. Furthermore, there were a large number of men in uniforms walking around in four rows of five. Wayne rubbed his eyes and looked again expecting it to be a mirage of some sort; they where still there.

"I never seen so many people in one area for a long time… wonder what they are up to?" Wayne said looking down to see that the hill was artificial since the part he was on looked very green for a dying land that was quickly becoming very barren and inhabitable thanks to the lava flow. The side he was looking down was a metal-framed wall supporting the hill, keeping it in place. It felt like naturally occurring ground but when Wayne tapped the grass a bit, it pinged with a distinct sound. "Metal… very clever," he whispered. Wayne jumped down and landed on the concrete below and quickly ducked behind some crates.

Wayne pulled his head up above the crates to have a look at the landscape around him. From where he hid, he noticed a large ball like object which Wayne could tell was a Tesla Coil. Wayne suddenly started to get a premonition that something out of this world going on here.

A few men and a lady stopped beside the crate Wayne was hiding behind. They were talking to each other and have a cigarette. Wayne knew tobacco was hard to get hold of now since most of the landscape was destroyed by the quake nine years ago. None of the normal factories stood up to such a destructive force of nature.

Mathew, one of the men, spoke loud enough for Wayne to hear,

"Yeah I know. The Professor's new toys made this testing a enjoyable one."

"I can't agree more. This had been another good day for the Chrono Cannon," Maxcien said followed by laughter.

Jackson calms down with sniggers in-between each part of his sentence.

"Yeah, that is a goal we all go on /sniggers/ and no government /sniggers/ for us to have fun." The other two looked at him with frowns.

"Did you smoke the…" Mathew began but didn't get a chance to finish when Jackson fainted.

"He did…" Maxcien sighed putting out her cigarette and grabbing one of Jackson's arms.

"God this is… grr… the 12th time this… gah! He's heavy… what has he been eating?" Mathew moaned lifting one side of Jackson; they both then dragged him to one of the buildings.

"Dope… what a world," Wayne mumbled rolling his eyes. He then spotted a large metal object come out the ground. In seconds, a missile was launched at high speed and entered an invisible object over the river of lava.

"What the?" Wayne put his hands over his mouth and ducked behind the crates.

A guard looked over in his direction.

"What is it?" another asked seeing that the other guard turned his head.

"I thought I heard something over there" the suspicious guard said, "Maybe it was just me." He turned back, looking at the ripple fade and disappear from view.

Wayne peeped over the top of the crates and looked at the two guards with their backs to him.

"That was too close," he mumbled and shook his head, "Talking to yourself again Wayne… you need to stop this…" Wayne whispered to himself shaking his head a little bit more.

Next, the Chrono Cannon which Wayne heard the guards talking about earlier emerged. The ball-like object at the base glowed and the coils flashed from the bottom to the very top of the little ball at the end of the coil-like pole. It flashed faster and faster. Wayne watched as a beam shot out from it but soon entered a small ripple right next to the end. After that, the Chrono Cannon was then put on standby once more, not looking a bit ready to fire.

"OK… what a weird device… if Chrono means time travel… is this a time weapon?" Wayne asked himself and felt something press to his back.

"Don't move sonny boy! Get up and come with me," Cockney English accent voice said behind Wayne.

Wayne stood up with his arms raised a bit.

"Good choice sonny, now move!" Wayne flinched as the end of the rifle jabbed into his back

"OK, OK! Keep your shirt on!" Wayne complained and started to walk. The other guards just took a glance and went back to what they were doing.

"This is quite a welcome, just a little look at a kid…" Wayne mumbled and felt another jab to his back, "Bad sense of humour huh?"

"Oh shut up sonny boy! One more word and I will hit you across the head," the guard warned continuing to jab Wayne in the back, this time a little harder to get the message through.

They walked towards the largest building of the little complex and Wayne was surprised to see how well structured it was. This had been the first time in a long time since he had seen a building in perfect condition, without the hint of damage by a earthquake. They arrived at two large metal doors with a keypad and card-reader lock on the wall beside the left door. Wayne watched the guard walk to it and push in the digits '2-6-7-1-1-8' and the door cracked open slowly. Once the doors fully opened, Wayne was grabbed by the arm and pushed forwards. Almost tripping over, he walked on seeing a sign as he entered saying 'Tri-Macrock-Labs'. Wayne recalled that name from somewhere and instantly remember that this was a company made by three countries in which testing of the theory of the solar system, space, time and fabric of sub-genetics which was all clearly illegal. But this illegal work was something of the past now, everyone did what they wanted.

Wayne walked down the hallway with the guard close behind. They came to a door and the guard grabbed him by the arm forcing Wayne to stop.

"Get in there! Sonny boy!" the guard bellowed as he opened the door and booted Wayne through it. With a mighty slam, the guard looked through the closed door. "Now I will tell the professor about this and he will know what to do with you," the guard said before walking off further down the hallway.

Wayne smirked opening his hand up showing a key.

"Not if I can help it…" Wayne put the key in the lock and turned it, with a click the door unlocked and opened.

"So much for a guard with brains," Wayne said to himself in a pleased manner. He looked at where the guard went, "I wonder who this Professor is…" He started to walk down the hallway where the guard had disappeared.

After wondering around the hallways, sometimes ending up going around in a circle, he finally came to some doors down the end of the hallway. Wayne walked up to them and looked through one of the round windows to see a white-haired man with a white coat and trousers talking to the guard that Wayne was caught by. Wayne opened the door a little bit and listened in on the conversation.

The guard put his arms to the side,

"Sir! If I may say, this boy knows too much about the Chrono Cannon and the testing."

The Professor walked to the guard looking at him with his neat, blue eyes,

"Yes, he's seen way to much to be let go. Even this world is too big for our race," the Professor waved a stick in the guard's face.

"Professor Helienson, what do you want me to do with the boy?" the guard asked trying to not laugh at the way the Professor spoke and waved the stick around.

"I have the perfect thing. Come this way and I will show you, my boy, what I have installed into the boy in the cell." Helienson walked by a table full of tubes and bottles to a rather large screen with a keyboard attached to it. Wayne opened the door a bit more to get a look for himself.

"What is this 'perfect thing' sir?" the guard asked looking at the blank screen.

"Oh that's simple," the Professor smiled typing up something on the screen and the screen lit up showing a double helix of someone or something's DNA. "This is a complete DNA strand of a dinosaur. I managed to get it from a fossilized dinosaur bone; the only full strand to be found I might add. This DNA comes from a Brontosaurus and with it, I have mastered a new technique," the Professor said proudly with his head raised high and hands behind his back.

"And this technique is?" the guard said in a unconvinced tone which made Helienson angry. He hit the guard with his stick across the head.

"Shut up you idiot! I was getting to it!" Helienson crossed his arms tapping the stick on his arm softly, "I am planning to merge a perfect copy of this DNA into the boy." Helienson walked over to a small tube connected to a machine arm with a needle on the end of it.

"Merge the DNA with the boy's? Why sir it will not do anything to him!" the guard asked in confusion rubbing his head trying to get rid of the daze.

"Oh, that's the starting point! Come here! I want to show you this," Helienson said walking over to an odd looking, hand-held item on a table which was covered up, the professor placed the stick down and removed the cover.

"This is a Static Sonic De-evolution Rod or 'SSDE Rod' as I like to call it. My masterpiece of all my creations," Helienson chuckled with appeasement of the mastering of sub-genetics.

"Your craz…" A loud bang echoed in lab making Wayne fall over and cover his ears from the loud sound. He slowly uncovered them and looked back into the lab through the round window to see the guard on his back, dead with a bullet hole to his chest and Professor Helienson with a gun in his right hand that was smoking.

"Call me crazy will you my boy, no one does. If they do… they die! Sorry to let you know the hard way but you crossed the line!" he said sinisterly. Wayne was horrified and sick in the stomach seeing it and walked away from the door but didn't get far when he looked up to see…


	7. Chapter 6: Dark Horrors

**Chapter 6: Dark Horrors**

The lab doors burst open as Wayne came flying through them followed by two soldiers who walked in and grabbed him by the arms, lifting him off the floor.

Professor Helienson looked at Wayne with a smile,

"Well, looks like some people can never learn not to be so nosey." Wayne looked at him

"You're just a crackpot that needs his head checked out!" Wayne then spat at him. The Professor took a cloth from his pocket and wiped his face.

"No need for that kid; my experiments have done this base a lot of good. It was just your hard luck finding this place," Professor Helienson said to him walking over to the master computer.

"Not really, I came up to the river of lava and heard truck noises and the land mines by the fake hill. Not bad, but if I can get through it, I wonder who else can?" Wayne sarcastically said to the Professor which made him look at the soldier.

"Is this true? There is a lot of noise from the trucks? Lieutenant Maxcien! Well?" Professor Helienson glared at her with a spiteful frown.

"Yes sir, it is true. But this is the first time in six years someone has ever come this far south. After the quake, this area was put down as hazard level ten because of the river of lava and the total destruction of London and other cities south of the river of lava," Lieutenant Maxcien protested to the Professor.

"Yes, you're one hundred percent right Lieutenant. Well, keep the boy there till I am ready to inject the DNA into his bloodstream," Helienson said to Lieutenant Maxcien and Lieutenant Mathew.

The Professor walked over to the far side of the lab and started to work on something that Wayne couldn't quite see. He wasn't sure what the Professor was doing from where he stood but he was unsettled seeing the dead body laying in front of him and the two lieutenants.

"What are we going to do with the lifeless body? We can't leave it there, it's unpleasant," Mathew said in a normal tone. Wayne felt like he was going to be sick seeing the dead body lying in front of him.

"Better take the body out of here Maxcien, the kid's going chuck otherwise; he's already going off-colour," Lieutenant Mathew said. Maxcien looked at Wayne then the body.

"Fine, fine, fine. I will do it… you owe me a cig though," Maxcien announced before dragging the body through the double doors.

"How can you be so calm seeing a dead body?" Wayne asked almost shouting at Mathew in disgusted.

"Well, this is not the first time. About the fifth time this has happened this month," Mathew said calmly keeping a firm grip on Wayne's arm not giving him the chance for to make a run for it.

"O…k…" Wayne barked back uncomfortably, "So what is the real reason for testing weapons in the dinosaur era?" Wayne asked and hoped Mathew would spill the beans on the experiments.

"Oh that. We're just testing the Chrono Cannon in that time frame because no one would ever check there for illegal testing of time technology," Mathew blurted out without thinking if he should not answer the question. Wayne then saw his chance when Mathew loosened his grip slightly.

Wayne pulled his arm free and booted Mathew between the legs and ran out the double doors. Just as the doors slammed shut, Mathew fell on his side in deep pain. "NO THE BOY! DAMN YOU IDIOT!" Professor Helienson yelled in utter rage swing his arms all over the place. In amongst his flailing, he smashed the alarm button which rang out all over the complex.

Wayne ran down the hallway and was about to turn around the next corner when he collided with Maxcien.

"You!" Maxcien shouted but before she could do anything Wayne grabbed her gun from the holder and stepped a few steps away, pointing it at her.

"Give me the gun kid!" Maxcien ordered walking towards him. Ignoring her, Wayne aimed slightly off target and pulled the trigger back. Missing the lieutenant, the bullet pierced through the steel pipe on the wall. A jet of steam shot out and blocked Maxcien from getting to him, he threw the gun to the floor and ran for it.

"Damn you kid! You will not escape this place alive!" Her voice barely raised above the roaring stream and the alarms going off.

Wayne knew the alarms meant bad news and saw some guards coming his way with automatic rifle.

"Crud…" Wayne cursed as he slid a bit and turned around the corner. Quickly spotting some stairs, he ran up them with the guards close behind.

"Sir! He is heading for the platform bridge!" the guard shouted in the radio stopping at the top of the stairs. Radio crackled into life and the Professor's voice said,

"Blow it!"

"Yes sir!" the guard replied and aim his gun at the side of the wall of the narrow corridor which Wayne was half way along.

"All men aim at the walls! This structure isn't too strong so shooting the walls, floor and ceiling will cause it to lose balance and collapse!" the guard told the others and they all took aim.

Wayne carried on running as fast as possible trying desperately to get away but he soon held his body. Tired and weakening from all the running and lack of air, he forced himself to push on to get to the end of the narrow corridor. Suddenly, he picked up on something that didn't feel right. The corridor seemed to jolt a bit and he looked back quickly to see guards shooting up the walls, ceiling and floor.

"Oh crap! This isn't good…" Wayne said and put more effort into running. He felt the place jolt again but much stronger this time. It was if the entire structure was becoming off balance.

Outside on the ground, more guards opened fired on the beginning of the platform, which stretched out just over the river of lava which was just 3 meters away from the odd, invisible ripple. Large explosions ripped through the start of the platform causing the centre pillar to crack from all the weight but still holding. A solider aimed a rocket launcher at the pillar.

"Time to score a hit!" the solider said smugly and pressed the trigger. A rocket shot out and smashed into the pillar blowing it up with a huge blast which made it start tilting towards the river of lava.

Wayne felt another huge jolt and watched in horror as his feet began to lift off the ground. His head smashed on the ceiling as he crashed to the floor and saw everything blurred so fast it turned black. His unconscious body slid as the corridor shifted in angles which made it uneven and treacherous .

The guards and soldiers watched the platform pillar give way, sending the platform tipping towards the lava. Just before it toppled fully over the edge, Wayne's unconscious body came out with his bag close behind. Both disappeared in the ripple like object without anyone noticing but Maxcien who watched from a window seeing the platform slide against the cliff into the lava. It slowly began to sink in and disappeared from view.

"Well if I didn't see that I wouldn't of believed it. The kid managed to escape just by sheer luck," Professor Helienson said walking beside Lieutenant Maxcien.

"Yes Professor and he was swift as well, do you want the tests to continue?" Lieutenant Maxcien asked the Professor turning to him.

"No, no my dear this proves that my Chrono Cannon can fire into another time zone and open a portal that is able to send humans through it," Helienson said with a smile. "Now get my technicians to find out where the boy went to."

"Yes sir!" Maxcien saluted and walked off.

"Well my boy, we will be on your trail soon enough, you had better watch your back," Helienson chuckled watching the noon sun reach its highest point in the sky. "Maybe you will not have too, maybe a overload will do," Helienson smiled with a glare and turned to walk over to the Chrono Cannon.


	8. Chapter 7: The Unknown

**Chapter 7: The Unknown**

Littlefoot felt light on his eyelids and when this happened he knew the bright circle was rising but something felt different about it when he opened his eyes. All he saw was white and he could barely see a few feet in front of him but in this place it didn't seem to matter. He stood up and looked down at his front feet to see more white. To make more things confusing, it looked like he was standing on nothing at all. He lifted his left foot up, bent his head down, looked at the underside of his foot and then placed his foot back down. Despite seeing nothing there he could feel something solid and warm beneath him.

Before he could even move, an odd sound started off all around the 'white land' which Littlefoot called it in his thoughts.

"Wow! that sound is nice…" Littlefoot hummed sweetly as he stood listening to it and more sounds started to join in mixing together. Littlefoot felt himself swaying side to side on the spot feeling relaxed. Very relaxed. This went on for four minutes and then stopped at a calm, die down.

"Hey don't go! I like the sound!" Littlefoot called finally pulling himself together and ran forwards trying to find where the sound was before it totally went. Littlefoot came to a stop hearing nothing now but his own footsteps. Littlefoot hung his head low with a disappointed look on his face.

Suddenly, the sound started up again and Littlefoot lifted his head to look for where it was coming from, but it was very hard to pinpoint it exactly as it approached from all angles. Littlefoot spun around in a circle on the spot but saw nothing but white in every direction. Soon, this changed when he heard something. Something like,

"Singing?" Littlefoot asked himself dumbfounded and he turned to face the sound. His eyes went wide at what he saw in the distance. It was something white from bottom to almost top, with peachy like colour bits on two sides and on top.

"What type of dinosaur is that?" Littlefoot asked himself and started walking towards the weird creature. As he got closer he heard the words more clearer.

"Live your story

Faith, hope and glory

Hold to the truth

In your heart." The creature sung in a sweet tone which Littlefoot came closer too.

"Wow, that voice is mixing with the sound, it making me feel something strange inside."

"Welcome," the voice said changing from singing to talking seeing Littlefoot in front of it, "I have been expecting you." Littlefoot looked at this weird dinosaur in shock and backed away now feeling very scared.

"Y-y-y-y… you were?" Littlefoot asked nervously.

"Yes and don't feel scared child. This is a realm between dreams and reality," it said in a gentle voice and floated down to him. He closed his eyes in fear but felt something touch the underside on his face. He opened his eyes again see the creature's face near his.

"I am an Angel and from the voice you can tell which one I am," it pulled its hand away and stood up looking at him. The sound in the background still echoing all around them.

"You're a girl!" Littlefoot blurted out, "But you don't look nothing like us, maybe because your… An-h-al?" Littlefoot try to say angel but came out a bit wrong. He looked at her.

"Angels have many forms, some human, some dinosaurs and some even animals from different times of this world. This place has no time," she spoke to him, "But what I told you here half of it you will not remember when you wake up."

"What? Why?" Littlefoot asked trying to know why he wouldn't remember what she told him.

"It is a rule… you know what rules is with your family right? Rules here say you have to forget what I say to you, but this can be searched," she said stepping back a few steps and noticing Littlefoot looking rather downhearted now.

"Now listen to what I have to say." Littlefoot looked at her and gave a nod.

"A world of two is lined together. Each passing day, two will meet as two worlds become known to each other," she said to Littlefoot and started to sing the song from start to end. Each minute Littlefoot started to feel sleepier and sleepier until soon, he found it very hard to keep awake. He laid on the floor and curled up with his tail wrapped around near his face. He slowly closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep as the brightness in his eyes fading to the reddish orange he saw inside his eyelids to a darkness.

"Littlefoot…" a voice said.

"Littlefoot dear. Wake up," another voice said.

"Come on Littlefoot, it is morning and the Bright Circle is rising above the Great Wall already." Littlefoot finally opened his eyes to see his Grandpa, the last one to speak, and his Grandma beside him with both heads right close to Littlefoot. Littlefoot stood up and yawned as he stretched out his muscles from his tail to his legs, neck and head. "Morning Grandpa, morning Grandma!" Littlefoot smiled looking at his grandparents.

"Did you have a nice sleep dear?" Grandma asked giving a small rub with her head against Littlefoot's.

"Yes Grandma! I feel great! Can I go play?" Littlefoot asked feeling fully awake now.

"What's the rush Littlefoot? Have something to eat first then you can go play," Grandpa said with a small laugh and rubbing his head against Littlefoot's gently.

"Ok Grandpa," Littlefoot smiles and they sent off to some nearby Tree-star trees.

"Hey Grandpa. Did you notice something missing in the night sky yesterday?" Littlefoot asked looking up at Grandpa as they walked.

"Now that you mention it, the Bright Lights over to the right of Threehorn Peak didn't appear," Grandpa replied seeing the slightly concerned look on Littlefoot's face, Grandpa forced a smile and laughed a bit, "No need to worry Littlefoot. Maybe it was time for the Bright Lights to move on."

"Yeah, that must be why Grandpa. I wonder when they will be back?" Littlefoot said with curiosity.

"Who knows Littlefoot. We'll just have to wait and see," Grandma spoke to Littlefoot as she grabbed a few tree-stars with her mouth and put them down in front of him. "Now eat up, Littlefoot."

"Ok Grandma!" Littlefoot chirped happily as he started to eat his tree-stars. While he did, Grandpa and Grandma looked at each other.

"Grandma I think we shouldn't worry Littlefoot why these Bright Lights just yet," Grandpa whispered to Grandma just out of earshot of Littlefoot.

"I have to agree. This is something we shouldn't trouble Littlefoot with," Grandma replied in an equal tone, "Littlefoot?" Grandma lowers her head to him.

"Yes Grandma?" Littlefoot said after finishing the last tree-star.

"You can go and play now," Littlefoot smiled at those words from his grandmother.

Littlefoot jumped up on his hind legs putting his front feet on the side of Grandma's face and then licks her.

"Thanks Grandma! I will see you later!" Littlefoot said before running off and disappearing from sight.

Grandma and Grandpa rub necks with a smile,

"That's our Littlefoot," Grandpa laughed and Grandma joined in laughing softly.

Littlefoot raced towards the Thundering Falls to see if he could catch Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike down by the falls with their parents. Littlefoot felt something came to contact with his left front foot, which made him stumble and roll forwards before coming to a stop at the base of a tree, upside down with his hind legs in the air and tail. He pushed himself over to the side and stood up on his feet feeling a bit sore on the left front foot. Littlefoot shook his left front foot a bit to get rid of the soreness "Ow that smarts…" Littlefoot winced but paused when he saw a small, straight cut across the lower part of his left front leg with some blood seeping out of it but not much to go down further on his scaly foot. Littlefoot looked shocked at the clear, straight, small cut.

"OW, OW, OW, OW, OW!" Littlefoot cried out lifting his foot off the ground now noticing the pain from the cut but stopped moaning about the pain when he noticed something shiny with a small bit of red on the end of it.

"Was this what did this to my leg?" Littlefoot said in some pain and slowly walked over to it flinching every time he put pressure on his injured leg. Littlefoot carefully approached it and looked closer at it. The shiny thing showed a reflection of his face. "Wow! I can see myself in it. It's like water but… whatever it is, it definitely is not water," he said to himself. Littlefoot looked at it greatly interested and totally forgetting about the cut. Littlefoot looked at the edge with the blood on it, he noticed it was a sharp, straight edge that now explained the straight cut on his leg. He noticed it was also partial buried in the ground which explained why it didn't look like it was alive. Lucky for Littlefoot it was in at such a depth that it didn't move a it would have cut deeper into his skin and insides of his leg.

Littlefoot then turn when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Littlefoot! Are you ok?" It was Cera's voice followed by a few, loud, heavy steps meaning Cera's dad was close behind her. They were heading straight for him.

Cera and her dad stopped a few feet away and looked at Littlefoot.

"Yeah I'm okay Cera," Littlefoot replied getting a bit nervous with the way her dad was looking at him.

Cera's dad noticed the straight cut on Littlefoot's leg "How did you do that Littlefoot?" Mr Threehorn asked in an even tone.

"Erm… I was running and… erm, tripped over this thing… it's really sharp and shiny with the Bright Circle in view and… I can see myself in it," Littlefoot stuttered trying to place the words together as he told Mr Threehorn about the object sticking out of the ground.

"Daddy, what do you think it is?" Cera came closer to it now taking notice of the shiny object.

"Whatever it is, it's new to me. This thing is like the water showing our reflection but it's not water or the solid water when it very cold," Cera's dad said looking at the object just as confused as the children, "But this thing is dangerous. If it cut Littlefoot's leg like that, none of you kids must touch it!" he barked raising his tone at them.

"Sure Daddy…" Cera replied cringing at the power of his voice.

"Yes sir…" Littlefoot said nodding to Mr Threehorn.

"Good. Now go play, I will inform the grown-ups about this," Mr Threehorn looked at them and they ran off not wanting to argue with him. Mr Threehorn stood watching them go off and out of sight.

Cera and Littlefoot backtracked to where the shiny thing was and hid behind a large log looking out for Cera's dad. Sure enough, he was standing there right near the shiny object which was dug into the soft earth.

"Cera, what's the matter with your Dad?" Littlefoot asked looking at Cera.

"He trying to keep me safe and watching over me every single minute of the day… gah! I am not a baby!" Cera raised her voice in anger but just out of earshot of her dad nearby.

"Grandma and Grandpa have been asking me to come home as soon as the Bright Circle starts to disappear behind the Great Wall," Littlefoot replied in an equal account to the days after the large flying rock came.

"It's been a long time since that has happened," Cera snapped in an angry tone, "Every time something odd happens, they all treat us like babies again! Well I am sick of it!" Cera continued talking to Littlefoot about the problems, she had and guessing what problems her friends had as well.

"But Cera… our parents are just worried for our safety…" Littlefoot try to give a reason for the adults' actions.

"Whatever Littlefoot, the grownups are so… Grrraaahhh!" Cera stamped her front foot on the ground in frustration.

"Hey! Your dad is gone," Littlefoot announced as he looked back at where the shiny thing was and saw Mr Threehorn was no longer there. A good time for changing the subject.

As Cera and Littlefoot walked back up to it, Cera walked into the path of the reflection the shiny object gave but approached at such an angle that the glare from the sun bounced off its surface and hit her in the eyes. She closed them and backed off.

"What was that?" Cera said trying to shake of the circles she now saw in front of her vision and couldn't get rid of them, "Gah! What did that thing do? I see small Bright Circle everywhere I look!" Cera shouted in utter rage.

"Huh?" Littlefoot looked over at Cera a bit confused, "Cera that only happens if you look at Bright Circle when it's high in the sky."

"Yeah I know!" Cera snapped, "That thing shined some of the Bright Light into my eyes!" Cera angrily said to Littlefoot.

Littlefoot went over to it and looked over to a shadowy part of a tree to see a half-light bit on the tree.

"You're right Cera, look!"

Cera looked and saw it with a smile.

"Told you so!" Cera said proudly.

Littlefoot was about to say something else but noticed Cera's dad coming back with the adults.

"Cera! Your dad! He's coming back!" Littlefoot warned. Suddenly, the others appeared from behind them.

"Hi, hi, hi!" Ducky called out riding on Spike up to Littlefoot and Cera.

"Hi Littlefoot, hi Cera! What you doing?" Petrie asked flying up to them just ahead of Ducky and Spike.

Cera looked and saw their grandparents and parents coming up to where she and Littlefoot stood by the shiny thing. Ducky, Petrie and Spike arrived up to them first. "What bad timing you three…" Cera grunted.

"Why?" Petrie asked as he landed on top of Littlefoot's back.

"Yeah why Cera? What is wrong with us coming to you?" Ducky asked the second question straight after Petrie.

"That's why!" Cera barked glancing behind her. The others looked in Cera's direction. The grownups stopped only about ten feet away looking at the children by the shiny object in the ground.

"Didn't I tell you two to go and play? Now you have brought your other friends to show them that, that thing!" Mr Threehorn said looking very displeased with Cera.

"Mr Threehorn, please calm yourself," Grandpa said but Mr Threehorn snorted and looked the other way. Grandpa turned his attention to Littlefoot and noticed the injury on his leg.

"Now Littlefoot, how did you hurt yourself?" Grandpa asked in a steady tone.

Littlefoot looked at his Grandpa.

"I was running to meet the others when I tripped on this shiny thing in the ground," Littlefoot told Grandpa. Grandpa bent his head down and had a look for himself.

"This is a unusual thing. It looks smooth on the surface, giving a reflection and it is sharp on the edges. You're lucky Littlefoot, you could have been hurt far worse than just that little cut on your leg," Grandpa said raising his head and looked at Mr Threehorn, "It was a wise decision to tell the children to avoid this thing my friend. This little thing looks harmless but it is very sharp on the edges so…" Grandpa looked over at the children.

"Children, I want you to keep away from anything that look like this," he said to them and they all nodded in agreement, "Now that is settled, you all may go and play, but stay close to home," They all nodded again and ran off.

"Look Longneck what do we do with it?" Mr Threehorn hit it with he's front horn and it smashed to pieces.

"I think you just solved that problem," Grandpa laughed.

Mr Threehorn made a small hole, using he's front horn and pushed the pieces in it with his horn. He covered up the pieces.

"There. Now no one else can be hurt by that thing," Mr Threehorn said with pride and walked off. The other grownups went on their way soon afterwards.

Grandpa looked at the ground where Mr Threehorn made sure that the many pieces of the shiny thing was buried deep, safe from any more harm.

"In just one changed season, so much has changed," Grandpa said looking over to Grandma.

"I know dear, but… oh my!" Grandma noticed something odd just out of view beyond the leaves and branches in the way.

Grandpa looked at the direction narrowing his eyes a bit.

"I can see why you're worried." They both started to move around the tree to see what it is. Soon as they passed the tree, what they had seen come into view was not there anymore.

"That's odd," Grandpa continued.

"Indeed, it was over this way and now it's gone…" Grandma said giving a concerned look.

"Whatever it was it not there now, we shouldn't let it worry us Grandma," Grandpa said looking at Grandma with a convincing smile.

"I agree. I guess it was just another unknown that we will never know about," Grandma smiled back and both turned away heading back to their home.


	9. Chapter 8: A calm water Ripple in the sk...

**Chapter 8: A calm water Ripple in the sky**

Meanwhile, far outside the Great Wall, Icky and Dil who had travelled from the Land of Mists, wandered the Mysterious Beyond not sure where they were. They came up to a fast flowing river.

"Now where are we Icky?" Dil asked the feathered sharp beak friend on her head.

"I am not sure Dil. This place is all new to me just as it is to you…" Icky looked around scanning the area. He stopped suddenly after seeing something, "Hey Dil! There is a herd of Longnecks just on the other side of the river," he squawked.

Dil started to walk towards him.

"What river Icky? I see no… AH!" Icky flapped his wings as Dil fell into the river.

"That river…" Icky said with a sigh looking for Dil to surface. When she did, she looked right at him with a growl.

"Hey! It's not my fault!" Icky protested to the Belly Dragger.

"Icky! You know I can't see well!" Dil shouted.

"Shh! Do you want that herd of Longnecks to hear us?" Icky hissed back as he landed on Dil's head, "Let's keep quiet and watch where they…"

"Watch what Icky? Where they what?" Dil asked in confusion but suddenly stop talking.

"Dil… let's forget the Longnecks and get out of here…" Icky said nervously staring at the sky in fright. Dil noticed what he was looking at and looked up as she stared. The image became clearer and soon realised why he was sounded so scared.

"Icky. There's a water ripple in the sky," Dil said blinking a few times.

"Good for you! You can see it! Let's go!" Icky ordered and Dil turned back to the shore she fell off. She climbed out and moved as fast as she could away from it with her belly dragging on the brown, muddy floor getting as far from it as possible.

In the Great Valley, everyone had stopped what they where doing and were all staring at this same sight with unsure feelings about the unnatural phenomenon. As it had been described before, it looked like water ripples in the sky somewhere passed the Thundering Falls. Everyone was completely speechless as well with some mouths hung open in disbelief. The ripples seemed to spread further outwards with each ripple appearing from the centre and repeating the same pattern as the one before it.

Cera, Ducky, Spike, Petrie and Littlefoot watched this at a closer distance to the grownups; they were heading out the Valley to see it up close without their parents' permission.

"Me don't know if we should go any further," Petrie said with him lowered almost flat on Littlefoot's head, trembling.

Littlefoot looked up at the sky as they got closer to it.

"Yeah maybe this is as far as we should go to see it up close," Littlefoot said as he slowed down a bit.

"I think so too," Cera said stopping by some large rocks with the others doing the same.

"This is scary! Yep, yep… yep!" Ducky gulped a bit looking at the large ripples which were still getting larger and larger.

Cera stared at the middle and then noticed something different in the middle, it was like something was breaking through the ripples.

"Look!" Cera shouted and they all looked.

"What is it?" Ducky asked shaking with fear.

"Me don't know! It coming out of middle of sky ripples," Petrie said twice as scared now holding tight to Littlefoot's neck.

"I can't breathe," Littlefoot choked as Petrie loosened his grip still shaking in fright. Littlefoot saw a object fall to the ground, a little distance away with a second larger one.

"Hey! Did you guys see that thing that came out of it!" Littlefoot beamed looking over in the direction it fell in.

"No! We did not see Littlefoot," Ducky said and before anyone else said something, the ripples just disappeared without a trace.

"It's gone," Littlefoot exclaimed.

"Yeah it is, good for it!" Cera said in her brave tone with a smile.

"Me happy it gone! It was scary!" Petrie said shivering as he flew just above them. Spike nods with his usual sounds of happiness. Spike looked at Littlefoot who was still looking in the direction the object fell and licked him on the face.

"Huh? I am ok Spike, just wondering what it was," Littlefoot said smiling at Spike, "We'd better get back before the grownups notice we've gone."

"Yeah we better," Cera said turning around and starting to head back to the Great Valley.

"Come on Spike. Let us go home," Ducky jumped on Spike's back and they followed Cera.

"Littlefoot? You coming?" Petrie asked looking at Littlefoot from above him.

"Yeah, I'll race ya!" Littlefoot challenged, "Ready?… GO!" With that, he took off.

"Hey no fair Littlefoot, me not ready!" Petrie flew after Littlefoot towards the Great Valley.

Later that night, Littlefoot was finding it hard to sleep and Grandpa noticed him tossing and turning. Grandpa walked over to Littlefoot and bent his neck down to come eye level with his grandson. Littlefoot looked at him.

"Grandpa, I can't sleep…" Littlefoot complained.

"Littlefoot, try to get some sleep. You will be very tired in the morning," Grandpa said rubbing his head gently against Littlefoot's head.

"I will try Grandpa!" Littlefoot sighed as Grandpa lifted his head away.

"Good to hear Littlefoot," Grandpa said with a smile turning his body away and started to walk off to Grandma.

Littlefoot watched him walking away but quickly called out to him.

"Grandpa?" Grandpa turned his head around and looked at Littlefoot.

"Yes Littlefoot?"

"I saw something come out the sky ripples today…" Littlefoot told his Grandpa, "That's why I can't sleep. I can't stop think about it…"

"You were near the sky ripples?" Grandpa asked with a displeased tone of voice, "Do you know how dangerous it could have been for you to go near such a thing we do not quite understand? Me and Grandma could have lost you…"

"Sorry Grandpa…" Littlefoot sighed lowering his head in shame.

"It's all right. At least you're still with us and that's all that matters," Grandpa smiled, "Now get some sleep." Grandpa turned away and walked on. Littlefoot smiled and lowered his head on the soft ground and closed his eyes drifting to sleep.


	10. Chapter 9: Smoke Flies True Colours

**Chapter 9: Smoke Flies True Colours**

The sun slowly started to show its light over the Great Wall of the Great Valley. Littlefoot felt the warm rays shine on his face as he slowly opened his eyes and let out a wide yawn. He lifted his head off the ground and looked at the mixed orange and blue sky. The clouds looked like a wave on the river and then Littlefoot remembered seeing those two objects that fell from the sky ripples. He knew that no one would believe him since he was the only one who saw it. He stood up, stretching his back and front legs and slowly made his way out, sneaking away without waking his grandparents.

He walked through routes he picked out which wouldn't wake the other herds while he went towards the entrance of the Great Valley. Littlefoot really wanted to prove to his friends what he saw was real, so the only way was to find the objects and bring them back to show them he wasn't making it up. He stopped at the entrance that he and the others took the day before to get a good close up on the sky ripple.

"No turning back now," Littlefoot gulped a bit, "I have to stay brave and find those things that fell from the sky to show that I am telling the truth." Littlefoot started to walk to the entrance slowly keeping his nerves under control as he slowly made his way outside the Valley.

Littlefoot knew he had to be on his guard whilst he searched a small part of the Mysterious Beyond which he had been in many times before with his friends and once on his own. This was going to be his second venture out alone and he silently hoped it wasn't going to be his last. Littlefoot came to the place that he and the others were when they saw the sky ripples.

"Let's see… the weird things fell over in…" Littlefoot trailed off as he scanned the area and stopped looking near the water that flowed into the Great Valley going down the Thundering Falls.

"That direction!" Littlefoot decided and walked on looking around the area for any sharpteeth. Slowly, he trailed up the rocky cliffs to the water and looked in front, walking as quiet as he can.

At the same time, over at Threehorn Peak, things seemed normal around the active Smokey Mountains but then, a Smoke Fly shot through the ash filled smoke and went down to the river below. It missed the water by inches and threw water up as it shot down the narrow valley. It then went straight up after going under an arch over the river. The Smoke Fly went up, passing some vines then turned in the air doing spins and smashed into a rock face.

A mighty explosion suddenly woke Grandma and Grandpa up along with everyone else in the Great Valley. The grandparents of Littlefoot looked in the direction of the blast and they were shocked to see a cliff face just outside the Valley was smoking with some flames dying off. Just then, they saw, with the other residents of the Great Valley, huge numbers of Smoke Flies shoot right over the Great Valley heading just over the Thundering Falls. Just then, some dropped from the group and hit with massive explosions which now brought fear to all the dinosaurs. The Smoke Flies finally showed their true colours something, which now showed to the dinosaurs.

At the time of the first impact, somewhere behind the Thundering Falls, Littlefoot was lying on his belly with his head low against the ground with both eyes closed. Nervously, he opened them to see a smoke fly hit one side of the cliff near where he entered the area of the Mysterious Beyond with two more close behind. The sides began to fall apart and totally blocked the route off. The sound was unbearable as he placed his front feet over his ears and craned his neck a bit too. Even so, the sound still could be heard as it died down. Littlefoot looked back at the route where the smoke flies hit, but all he saw was the route totally blocked by large rocks and rubble.

"Oh no the path!… it's gone…" Littlefoot gasped turning his head looking at the land around him now. Getting back on his feet, he saw the land around him was smoking from where all the Smoke Files hit. Littlefoot knew standing around wouldn't do any good, he had to go further into the Mysterious Beyond on his own to find a way back into the Great Valley. He slowly turned away and started to walk off to find a way home feeling relieved he wasn't killed by those Smoke Flies.

Littlefoot found himself lost after a few minutes seeing that the Smoke Flies had made so much rock and rubble fall. Large holes in the ground smoked clearly showing their impact points. To be safe, he kept his distance from the smoking holes. He found smashed rocks all over the place which spread out from the holes meaning that the blast from these Smoking Flies was powerful.

"Wow! I don't believe this! Big, rocky land like this couldn't stand up to such small smoke flies," Littlefoot said with weariness stepping over them now wanting to get closer to the holes to have a look down them.

Meanwhile, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike had met up at the watering hole, all woken up early by the explosions.

"Hey! Did you see what happened earlier with those smoke things?" Cera said acting all brave in front of them.

"Yeah me was really scared of smoking things. They make loud noise and flames of thin air and smoke and…" Petrie says to them before Cera stepped in.

"I get it Petrie," Cera said rolling her eyes.

"I did not like it at all, oh no, no, no! Even spike was scared of the noises. It was very loud," Ducky said as she held her head a bit still feeling a bit of a headache from the ringing in her ears. Spike nodded in reply agreeing to Ducky's words shaking a bit from the aftershock of it all.

"Oh come on. They weren't that bad," Cera said and looked at their faces with a sigh, "Well… maybe they were… my daddy even woke in a fright. Something I've never seen him do in my whole life," Cera admitted her fear to them including her father's.

"But all grown-ups were just as scared as us Cera," Ducky spoke up going over to Cera and touching her left front leg, "We all were scared. Yes we were. No one was not scared, oh no, no, no."

Cera looked at her with a smile.

"In that case, I don't mind being scared like that for once."

"Yeah me really, really scared!" Petrie flew down landing on Spike's back.

"But Petrie you are always scared. Even the smallest things makes you jump," Ducky giggled and Spike gave a small laugh just able to be heard by the others.

"Aw please don't scare me!" Cera said in a joking tone.

Then they all laughed loudly. Ducky stopped laughing noticing one body missing from the group.

"Where's Littlefoot?" At that point, they all stopped laughing and looked at each other.

"Don't ask me, I haven't seen Littlefoot since yesterday," Cera told them.

"Me don't know either, have you see him Spike?" Petrie looked at Spike but he shook his head in a no fashion. Cera looked at them.

"Then where is he?"

"Maybe with his Grandpa and Grandma?" Ducky guessed putting her arms up a bit not totally sure if it was true or not.

"Well let's go and check!" Cera said running off to Littlefoot's home with Spike, carrying Ducky and Petrie, close behind her.

The grandparents of Littlefoot looked around the sleeping area for Littlefoot. Since he didn't come up to them and ask what the Smoke Flies were and why they made such a big noise hitting the ground and cliff walls outside the Valley.

"Littlefoot!" Grandpa called out, "The danger has passed, you can come out of hiding now."

"Yes Littlefoot, the danger has passed now so everything's safe once more. Just for some smoke outside the Great Valley, everything is fine. So little one, come out of your hiding place," Grandma bend her neck down to a hollow out tree and saw Littlefoot wasn't there.

"Oh my… Littlefoot isn't here…"

"He must be nearby, we must keep calm and hope for the best," Grandpa said to Grandma giving her some comfort.

"Your right dear, we have to keep our hopes up, he will be back home soon," Grandma said putting her neck over Grandpa's and rubbed gently against each other giving hope to each other seeing their grandson again.

Cera, Ducky, Spike and Petrie overheard the talk between the grandparents and then wondered if Littlefoot was ok and where he was.

"Now what?" Cera grunted turning around looking at the others.

Ducky puts her hand under her beak and thought.

"Maybe we should go find Littlefoot," Ducky suggested.

"Me don't know. Thinking hard giving Petrie headache," Petrie moaned with Cera rolling her eyes and Spike laughing a bit getting Petrie a bit angry with them. "Humph!" Petrie turned away and took a step forwards, "AH!" he yelled as he fell off Spike and onto the ground. Dusting himself off, he flew back on Spike and looks over at Cera.

"Ducky's plan sounds the best at the moment. Let's spilt up and look all over the Great Valley," Cera said and they nodded. With Ducky and Spike going one way, Petrie going another and Cera going the way that was left, all of them starting their look for Littlefoot.

Littlefoot, on the other hand, was having a hard time trying to find a way back to the Great Valley. He was, in fact, wandering further away from the Great Valley than getting closer to it. It seemed that the damage done by the Smoke Flies was more severe than Littlefoot first thought. Then, he spotted something very shocking as he looked down one of the holes before trying to find a way home. The hole had some of those sharp, shiny things that he tripped over the other day.

Littlefoot came to a stop, looking around to get a bearing on where he was but stopped when he saw a massive amount of impact holes and rocks all over the place just in front of him. What made it more startling and sickening to his stomach was the number of dead sharpteeth littered all over the place; their bodies burned surrounded by pools of blood. Littlefoot felt very ill seeing such death and even felt sorry for the sharpteeth they didn't have to die in such a horrible way. Littlefoot couldn't say anything to himself and turned away to get as far away from the place as possible but he was stopped when two sharpteeth stood there on rocks, just above him looking at him with preying eyes.

"Ni…nic…nice sharpteeth… I… I…" Littlefoot started to back away from them as they were ready to pounce on him. He closed his eyes in fear awaiting the worse to come but it never did. He opened his eyes and saw that the sharpteeth were backing away. Littlefoot looked at them wondering why they are backing away from him. He then turned to see why they were so scared. A group of smoke flies were heading towards their location. Littlefoot looked back and noticed the sharpteeth was way gone. He looked back at the closing smoke flies with fear in him but he couldn't move a muscle as he watched them come ever closer to where he was. Then, from out of nowhere, he felt something grabbed him by the chest and drag him to the ground.

He fell down one of the holes with what ever just pulled him down and slid down the sloping side just as the sound of mighty, powerful, multiple blasts echoed from five feet away. The sound was so loud, it was scaring him so much that he was about to pass out. As the fear got the better of him, Littlefoot felt very weak as he heard a fateful voice just audible over the large blasts just before everything went black

"It will be over shortly… pull yourself together," the last word was heard as it echoed as Littlefoot's vision went black and the sound disappeared.


	11. Chapter 10: Two Times

**Chapter 10: Two Times**

A little while later, Littlefoot steadily regained consciousness. His vision cleared slowly as he opened his eyes. Littlefoot's mind was also clearing as he remembered almost being hit by the smoke flies and someone pulling him down a hole saving his life. Littlefoot only managed to catch the voice but nothing else before he blacked out from the loud, overwhelming noise. As his vision cleared a bit more, he saw the Great Valley around him. He stood up quickly to find he was at one of the small entrances to it.

Littlefoot's face was in shock and surprise to see he was home once more, he didn't know how he gotten all that way. However, one possible thing then ran into his mind; someone had obviously saved his life and must have brought him all the way to the Great Valley. That's when he noticed he was laying on a large piece of flat wood with some vines tied to it and he just saw two footprints heavily implanted into the ground. like whatever made them put a lot of effect into pulling Littlefoot all this way. The two footprints that were only clearly visible look like partly rounded straight with zigzag lines in the middle. Littlefoot wondered what could have made such a footprint but that thought was quickly forgotten when he heard his grandparents calling out his name in the distance very faintly.

Littlefoot looked at the wood-like sledge and thought for a second. He then picked up the vines with his mouth and he started walk back into the Great Valley pulling the wood like sledge he was pulled on to get home. He looked back see if he could see who saved his life and brought him home. No such luck came and he just turned back to facing forwards walking onwards into the Valley. On a rocky ledge just fifty meters away looking around the corner of the turning point of the ledge around the cliff face.

Wayne watched the longneck go into the green valley and smiled as he looked at his hands with burn marks on them from pulling that little Brontosaurus on that wood for over a mile, that was enough to make his hands very sore. But this didn't matter at the moment, the valley he could just see from where he stood on the ledge, it reminded him of the underground Garden he found in one of the cities he went into on his journeys. Even though this was somewhere far back in the past, he knew keeping out of sight and limiting contact will keep mass changes for happening in the future. He read this in a book from a museum that he found in the same ruined city he found the underground Garden. But Wayne had to interfere by saving that Brontosaurus's life from those missiles since it was a manmade weapon that killed all those meat eaters and he couldn't bear to watch a dinosaur which has only seen part of the world's beauty at this time of era.

Wayne looked at his watch and for some reason it was not working at all. What troubled him even more was he still could not remember how he got to this era. All he could remember was waking up at the side of the old motorway, coming up to a river of lava and that was about it; the rest seem to be a blank until he woke up in the middle of the night in this time.

Wayne started to climb down from the rocky ledge whilst keeping an eye on where he stepped so not to slip and fall over a hundred feet down onto a hard rock surface below.

"I am able to save a dinosaur from a load of missiles but why can't I face my fear of heights?" Wayne said nervously as he clung tight to the side he was climbing down, not able to move a muscle. After a few minutes he gathered the strength he needed and climbed the rest of the way down. As Wayne's feet touched the ground, he began to look around for anyone. He saw no dinosaur in sight and went off away from the Valley not letting anyone see him, but this was no such luck. Without his knowing, a lone, large long-necked dinosaur watched Wayne from a distance, making the job of keeping out of sight much more difficult.

In the Great Valley, Littlefoot leaves the wood with the vines attached to it over by the Tall Trees. He raced to his grandparents to give them the news about his safe return home.

"Grandpa! Grandma! I'm home!" Littlefoot called out as he ran up to them. Grandpa and Grandma looked over to see their Littlefoot coming towards them; they smiled with joy seeing their grandson safe and well.

"Where have you been Littefoot? We've been worried about you," Grandpa said looking at the little longneck panting just in front of them.

"Sorry Grandpa… I just err…" Littlefoot stammered trying to think of something quickly, "I got kind of lost."

Grandpa laughs and Grandma lowers her head coming right close to Littlefoot.

"Now dear, you know why we ask you to stay close to the herd," Grandma said to Littlefoot, "Now look at yourself; you're filthy." Grandma started to clean Littlefoot by licking his face.

"Grandma!" Littlefoot complained. Grandma stopped and lifted her head looking at Grandpa laughing softly.

"That what you get for getting yourself filthy Littlefoot," Grandpa said laughing as well. Littlefoot, finding the funny side, smiled too. Littlefoot looked at them.

"Can I go and find my friends? I bet they're worried about me as well."

"Yes you may dear, just try to keep clean," Grandma smiled at Littlefoot.

"Thanks!" Littlefoot said with glee and ran off to find his friend. Grandpa and Grandma just laughed watching Littlefoot run off.

Littlefoot soon finds his friends at the Bubbling Mud talking to each other and looking very tired out, Littlefoot raced up to them.

"Hey Guys!" he chirped.

"Littlefoot!" All of the said at the same time expect Spike of course who gave a cheerful smile.

"Where have you been? We been looking for you everywhere," Cera said with a half happy, half annoyed voice.

"Yeah me like to know too," Petrie said as he flew onto Littlefoot's back with some interest into what Littlefoot going to tell them.

"We were worried about you Littlefoot, yes we were, right Spike?" Ducky looked at her baby brother and Spike nodded in reply then went to eat some green food nearby.

Cera now getting a little agitated with Littlefoot.

"Now that's over with!" Cera snapped and walked right up close to Littlefoot and looked him in the eyes, "Where have you been all this time!" Littlefoot bent his neck backwards a bit looking at her then moving his eye away from her trying to think of something.

"Tell us what happened and the truth! Don't hide anything from us!" Cera ordered and Littlefoot let out a heavy breath of air looking to the ground.

"Alright, I'll tell you all what happened…" Littlefoot raised his head and looked at them, "Please, promise me you will not tell anyone else about it. Ok guys?"

"Me promise!" Petrie agreed to the terms Littlefoot put out to them.

"Yep, yep, yep! Me and Spike agree too!" Ducky said clapping her hands and Spike nodded with a smile and gave his usual sounds that he made agree to things.

Cera gave a snort and looked at them for a second then Littlefoot.

"Alright I promise too! Now tell us what happened!" Cera barked giving Littlefoot a hard look.

"Alright it begins this morning…" Littlefoot started as he told them what happened.

Back outside the Great Valley, Wayne sat down in a small cavern he found as a suitable place to keep out of sight from any dinosaurs. Wayne placed the backpack in front of him and opened it up starting to take out the contents to check on his supplies. First things he pulled out was a bag of two apples, next was a flashlight which he tested. The light was dim but was otherwise fine; the batteries were obviously low on power.

"Best to use this when needed to," Wayne said placing it on the ground and turning it off. Next, he pulled out was a bottle of water which was half full, a bag of lettuce with a few bread rolls. Most of the food he gathered was from the last trade point he was at, trading the food for two bike wheels in good condition in a half remained building. More things to come out of his bag were two books, one from a museum that was in a glass case. He had smashed the glass to get the book and that's when he found the other one that was a journal from someone who left it in a place for anyone to take and read it. He pulled out a green box with a white cross on it and the words smudged on it '... Labs'.

"Where did this come from? I didn't seen this in my bag before," Wayne mumbled as he opened it up to see medical equipment in it from white clear bandages, a bottle of disinfectant, plasters, a few pins, wipes, needle and thread, a bottle of palericen which helped ease the pain, a few needles cased up in a box and a few tiny bottles which the label read 'Seiclaterincen'

"What the hell? This is a military med box! How did I get hold of one of these? And a super healing drug?" Wayne almost yelled out in shock and surprise.

Just then, he heard a thud from something huge close by. He quickly closed the box up and put it back in the bag with the other gear but he was too slow. By the time he had everything in the backpack, a large foot came down right next to the entrance of the cavern where Wayne was hiding. Wayne looked at the large foot seeing it was facing towards where he was sitting. Wayne slowly trailed his eyes upwards following up the large leg to a large body and up the long neck to see a large face with a scar on the right side staring down at him.

"Oh crud…" Wayne said weakly was he slowly got to his feet taking a few steps backwards, "Hello there Mr big diplodocus … sir I was just erm… going yeah I was just going!" Wayne turned around to run but hit his face into a solid rock wall; he fell on his backside holding his nose in pain.

The longneck lowered his head just able to fit down the open roofed cavern coming up to just behind Wayne. Wayne turned his head around a bit and saw the large, long neck head only inches away. He jumped up onto his feet and backed against the wall sweating with fear and his eyes slammed tight pressing against the rocks

"Hey kid there no need to be afraid," A deep, sharp, gentle voice said, Wayne slowly opened his eyes and looked at the diplodocus and then looked around for who just said it.

"Who said that? Is someone else here?" Wayne asked feeling scared still but unsure where the voice came from.

"It came from me, there is no one else here," Wayne heard the voice again and looked right at the longneck dinosaur, "You are a strange child." Wayne watched the dinosaur's mouth move and words came out of it. He was shocked at what he was witnessing. He heard the dinosaur speak! Not half made sense but perfect to every word.

"Yo… you… you talked!" Wayne said sheepishly as he felt the blood from his body rise to a high level making his all dizzy.

"And you are too. I never seen a creature quite like you before," the diplodocus said to him not untouched by what Wayne just said. Wayne was unsure what to say next as he looked at the large beast talking to him.

"Erm… just surprised to hear a dinosaur speaking…" Wayne managed to say noting up some of the words in his mouth making it a bit unclear to the diplodocus.

"Then I gather you're not a dinosaur if you say something like that," it replied coolly. Wayne was shocked again, his plan to keep out of sight had not gone exactly to plan.

"I… am…" Wayne coughed a bit covering his mouth with his hand and removing it, "I am human… not from this time," Wayne spoke getting a bit of his courage back.

"Human? Not from this time? Well what time are you from? If you don't mind me asking so." Wayne gulped a bit looking at him still having a few raw nerves in his system.

"Sixty-five million years in the future…" Wayne said, "And I don't remember how I got to this era either," Wayne took a guess at what the longneck was going to say next.

"You're sharp kid. Well, I am Doc, nice to meet you human," Doc said giving his greetings to Wayne.

"Wayne… that my name…" Wayne said with a half smile, "You were following me, weren't you?" Wayne throws his first question at Doc.

"Yes I was," Doc said raising his neck up with Wayne looking up at him, "I saw you bring the little longneck, Littlefoot, back to the Great Valley. A very brave deed for someone small," Doc said looking down on him. Wayne picked up his backpack and left the cavern coming outside to admire the view before him. Seeing Doc from head to tail was more amazing then anything he saw in his life,

"Wow! He's huge!" Wayne spoke frankly and Doc gave a smirk, "Oh erm sorry! Wrong choice of words! That's what I get for spending so much time alone…" Wayne mumbled the last few words.

"Don't worry about it kid, there is no harm done. You could tell me what this time is for yours and why you're alone in it?" Doc asked a line of questions in one go. Wayne stood still for a moment thinking about it and nodded.

"I will tell you Mr diplodocus. The past 4 years, after the biggest earthquake to hit the world for a very long time," Wayne sat down on a rock near by looking up at him.

"Just call me Doc and I am what you call a Longneck; not this word you just called me," Doc said and lowered his head, "It would be easy for you to talk to me sitting on my head while I move, I will listen to what you have to say." Wayne stood up and walked over to Doc and climbed up on his head.

"Hang on kid," Doc warned as he lifted his head up and Wayne felt a rush of air hit him and it came to a stop.

Wayne looked at the landscape from where he sat on Doc's head.

"Whoa! What a view!"

"Glad you like it, now you can begin,"

"Oh right, I almost forgot," Wayne chuckled and the thoughts in his mind were still trying to work out how the dinosaurs talk. However, this was going to be the first time in a while, telling a story of events that happened in his past even if it was talking to a four-legged longneck dinosaur, which he sat on top of.


	12. Chapter 11: A Human Story

**Chapter 11: A Human Story**

Wayne took some time to recap on his memories thinking carefully about the events of those days five years ago to his time period, remembering the place he lived at in that time those years ago.

"Well I will start now. It was about five years ago about four years after the earthquake that destroyed so much of the human civilisation. I was about ten years old, I haven't eaten or drank hardly anything for 2 days and now weaken with aches all over my body…" As Wayne sat atop of Doc's head, his thoughts quickly turned to his past as he recollected the events of his childhood telling the events as started to tell it to Doc.

Wayne slowly walked into the streets of a ruined city that had no life in it anymore. Only the wind could be heard down the empty, upturned roads. He climbed over some rubble and but all he saw when he got to the top was some of the city but practically nothing was left but huge holes and rocky cliffs with almost totally flatten buildings.

Something did catch his eyes a large building, a museum which was standing with only minor damage from rubble smashing through them or the odd little cracks in it. This was a sight for sore eyes seeing that this place was still holding together.

Doc interrupted Wayne talking about the thoughts "Kid, I heard you say something about a museum before, what is this place?" Doc questioned. Wayne looked at one of his eyes from up top.

"Oh! It's a place where humans put ancient artefacts, old books, computers, bones and many other stuff from Earth's past. Humans go there to have a look at what inside the museums, but after the quake most of it was destroyed. It was lucky that I found one that was still untouched at that time," Wayne told Doc. He then went on to talk about how lucky he was to find one that held together from The Garlertic Earthquake those years before.

"From the sound of it, this was very important to humans," Doc inquired and Wayne smiled at his response.

"Yeah you could say that," Wayne said looking at the area Doc was travelling through, "By the way, where are we heading anyway?" Wayne took note of the land around them.

"We will get there by the time you finished telling me your story," Doc replied with a small smirk.

"Where's that?" Wayne asked again.

"You will see, now would you like to continue?"

"Alright, you win" Wayne said, "Where was I?… oh yeah!" Wayne continued to tell Doc as he thought back to the events once again telling Doc them.

Wayne pushed open the rust tight doors, breaking one of them in the process as it fell to the ground knocking up dust. Wayne coughed waving the dust away as he walked into the museum. The only thing that lit the place up was the light from the daytime shining through the areas which were smashed or still whole windows, the holes in the outer walls also let light in.

Wayne walked down some halls taking note of where he was going and not wanting to get lost in a place that only had the sound of wind around him. He came to the large room that showed the technology age and noticed at once a statue of a man with his left hand up with one finger pointing to the skies. Wayne walked by it and saw a ball on the ground. Picking it up, he threw it and hit a T-Rex model nearby. The impact smashed the leg apart causing the T-Rex to fall over smashing to pieces with a giant crash.

Wayne looked at it with a small laugh, it was only another breakable object and it was fun. He put down the bag and ran over to the ball picking it up again. He looked for his next target. However, when he noticed the skull of a dinosaur and a device next to it and a model of the head would look like. Wayne threw the ball backward landing on a glass case smashing it to pieces. Not taking much notice of it, he walked up to the dinosaur head model looking at it closer and reading the pad after blowing the dust of it.

"Wow! Cool! This thing looked all over the skull and made a model of what that dinosaur looked like," Wayne said with glee and looked at the name on the pad, "Br… Br… Bront… Brontosaurus… Long neck dinosaur thing!" Wayne grumbled taking a few attempts to pronounce the name. Wayne carried on to try to say it for at least ten minutes, but after a while he gave up and wandered back over to the statue of the man seeing that the glass case was smashed. Wayne looked into it and found an old book laying in amongst the shatter glass. He picked it up and when he did there was another one under the one he picked up.

Wayne picked up the next one seeing the name Jason O'Neil on the cover.

"Must be a journal of some sort. I wonder what this is about?" Wayne looked at the first book he picked up. Putting the other one down, he opened it up, all he saw was writing on each page with numbers and sums on it.

"Who was this man? All these sums are confusing and the words don't make sense either," Wayne mumbled under his breath placing it down and taking hold the next one. He looked into it and saw dates and writing on it. He flipped over some more pages until he came to a map of some kind.

"Is this a map? A map of what I wonder…" Wayne questioned staring at the map in the book trying to work it out and that when he saw the writing on the left page next to the page with the map on it.

Doc interrupted recalling on something that he saw that Wayne placed in his bag "Is that the green flat thing you put in that on your back?" Doc asked and Wayne pulled it out the bag looking at the page.

"Yeah it is, this what helped me find the underground garden which I lived in for a few years. After that moving on, but the other one states that, 'One who travels into the past must not change the past'. In other words, keeping out of sight of others like you dinosaurs but I did a poor job at that," Wayne said and gave a sad sigh.

"I guess you interfered for a good reason saving Littlefoot from those smoke flies," Doc said giving Wayne a surprise. He looked at him in the right eye, "While you was telling me about those things called books, a few travelling dinosaurs heard stories from the Great Valley that a unknown hero saved a little longneck from the smoke flies."

"Well, I'm not so sure about that. Those smoke flies are human made and that little dinosaur was going to be hit by them. I couldn't aloud him to die because of human weapons so I saved his life and brought him home… big deal," Wayne said blandly and noticed something just ahead, "Whoa wait a minute! Is that the green, lush Valley I am trying to keep way from?"

"You are very sharp kid, I brought you here the long route to hear your story. Would you like to know a few things about what we call our kind?" Doc asked with a smirk on one side oh his face.

"Erm… sure I guess so," Wayne replied staring at the Great Valley that was getting closer with each step Doc made.

"We have the threehorns, the swimmers, spiketails, longnecks, flyers, clubtails and many others which would take a while to tell you. The reason I brought you back here is… One. To settle the rumours… Two. You are needed to be known by the Great Valley dinosaurs and three. I respect your bravery for saving and bring Littlefoot home to the Great Valley," Doc said to Wayne who was keeping note of what Doc was saying but not liking the idea of showing himself to the dinosaurs in this 'Great Valley' he spoke of.

Wayne decided to go and picking up his backpack, he slid down Doc's neck but before he got halfway along his back, Doc grabbed Wayne by the month lifting him in air in front of him.

"Hey! Let me go God damn it!" Wayne barked squirming but then looked down and saw the rocky ground about eighty feet down, "Arrrggghh! Don't let me go!" Wayne shouted in fear of the height he was hanging.

Doc placed him on his back and looked at Wayne.

"You have told me about your world and from the pieces I got," Doc cleared his throat and continued to speak to Wayne, "You lost all the family you had at a young age. Meeting families on your way that didn't want to know you and told you to go away. So you lived a lonely life not have any fun in your early life, now's your chance to do so. I will take you to the Valley and then you go the rest of the way," Doc spoke to Wayne in a lengthy speech, which made Wayne think twice.

Wayne was surprised much the less, Doc just said his story in a simple sense the names of the dinosaurs too.

"I guess I will do it, but under one condition…"

"And that is kid?" Doc asked wondering what the human boy was up to.

"You take me all the way. That's all I am asking for," Wayne said looking at Doc who turned his head looking right at Wayne with a strain look in his eyes.

Doc gave a smirk.

"Well kid, I accept to that condition. Just because, for once, I enjoyed the chat," Doc looked at Wayne who was uncertain what he meant by that, "You see I don't like to talk too much, but talking to you has been something different. That's why I am going to do this for you."

"Erm… thank you Doc," Wayne blinked a few times a bit unsure but feeling a bit happy for once. Even though it was a talk with a dinosaur, it didn't seem to matter much at all now.

Doc, slowly but surely, walked into the Great Valley keeping in mind what he said to Littlefoot before and knowing he was wrong about not coming to the Great Valley again. But since he accepted Wayne's request, he felt it was his duty to stick to it. The only problem was finding the right way to introduce Wayne into the Great Valley dinosaurs without provoking a hate spell upon the human child. This was a task which required all of thought of the location of the Valley in which Wayne could keep himself out of sight for a time at least…


	13. Chapter 12: Truth, Lies and Dreams

**Chapter 12: Truth, Lies and Dreams**

Littlefoot had finished telling his friends what happened to him earlier on. He told them every detail of what he knew in his eyes and the mysterious hero that saved him from the smoking flies just in time.

Cera now felt like it was all just a tale when Littlefoot said the voice sounded like a kid about a few cold times older then them.

"Humph! You're just making this up!"

"I am not making it up! I heard his voice before everything went dark! He said 'It will be over shortly, hold yourself together'! That was the words I heard!" Littlefoot barked back at Cera trying to get her to believe him.

"Well I still don't believe 'til I see this hero of yours; I will keep to what I think!" Cera snorted turning away from Littlefoot and the others.

"Maybe what Littlefoot is saying is true. The smoke thingies did make loud noises," Ducky agreed sticking up for what Littlefoot said which made him smile. Petrie looked at Cera then Littlefoot.

"Me no know. Story can be true and cannot… me confused," Petrie moaned. Spike licked Littlefoot on the face to show what he believed.

"Thanks Spike," Littlefoot giggled feeling a bit better but not much since Cera still didn't believe him.

"Erm… how about we go and…" Littlefoot began but was cut short when Cera's dad called out.

"Sorry Littlefoot it's time for me to go home. Catch you lot tomorrow!" Cera called before running off to her dad leaving the others behind.

"We better go too," Ducky said looking at Littlefoot, "Do not worry Littlefoot, I believe you." Ducky smiled hopping on Spike's back.

"Let's go home Spike," she said as Spike replied with a hum and they set of to their nest.

"Bye Littlefoot, me see you tomorrow," Petrie flew off to his nest now leaving Littlefoot on his own.

Littlefoot started to make his way back to the nest however, he heard some adult dinosaurs talking in the distance. As be followed the voices, he came across a clubtail and a swimmer. Something about it made him want to listen in to what they were talking about.

"I know the child talked about the hero that saved him and you know what?" the clubtail said letting the swimmer guess.

"I heard too; even told by the little longneck. I heard some saying that this hero of his came with that lone longneck today," the swimmer replied. Littlefoot was now getting interested in what the adults were saying.

"I didn't see anyone with the longneck that arrived, did you?" the clubtail asked the swimmer.

"No I didn't, maybe it's all rumours and nothing more," the swimmer said looking at the sky, "Nice talking to you clubtail, time for me to get to the nest," the swimmer said as he started to walk away.

"Same to you," the clubtail replied and headed off the other way. Littlefoot came out of the bushes looking both ways.

"Wow! The one that saved me is here? Cool!" Littlefoot cheered and ran off home to his grandparents to tell them what really happened.

Wayne rested against the hollow side of a tree feeling a bit tied he slowly closed he's eyes and letting sleep come to him. Slowly he went into a dream state…

Wayne followed his mum out the back ally door going down some steps and headed towards a parked car. The lights from the lamps shone upon it phasing it away from the night colour around it. Wayne gazed at the sky,

"Mum the shiny stars are with us tonight! They look all pretty."

Michelle looked at her six-year-old son with a smile.

"Yes they are Wayne and they will never stop shining even when you can't see them," Wayne looked her with a confused face, "Don't worry son you will understand someday."

"But I want to un… under… understand now mum!" Wayne complained.

She picked him up and looked into his eyes.

"You will Wayne; in time you will. You're young so enjoy your childhood, it only comes once in your life," she said kissing him on the forehead, "Now let's get you home, you must be really tired." Michelle went on walking to the car carrying Wayne in her left arm while he had his arms around her neck with his head resting on her shoulder. Wayne saw the loose pipe start to rattle.

"Mum, the pipe is rattling, what is it?"

Michelle turned and looked for herself and noticed it too and the lights starting to flicker.

"No, this can't be… There are no Earthquake in the UK!" Michelle gasped as she heard a rumbling sound.

"Mum, what is that sound?" Wayne said with fear seeing cracks forming on brick walls.

"It's… it's a earthquake!" Michelle shouted just audible. All of a sudden, Wayne felt a huge push and saw a large part of land breaking apart…

Wayne's eyes shot opened and he sat up with sweat pouring down his face breathing hard. He closed his eyes for a few moments to recollect his thoughts on the dream he just had.

"Had a rough dream kid?" Doc asked looking at Wayne who was keeping out of sight in a large empty hole in a tree.

"Yes…" Wayne sighed looking up at Doc and something about Doc reminded him of someone he was with for the first three months after the largest quake in history of the world in his time at least. Doc put his tail around Wayne, picked him up and placed him next to Doc's large body from where he laid then moved his tail right close to where he placed Wayne keeping the view blocked from any prying eyes.

"Kid, it's best if you slept here. There is less of a chance that anyone will see you 'til the time is right," Doc said calmly. He then noticed Wayne was giving a small smirk and gave a sound that resembled laughter.

"What so funny kid?"

"Just you remind me of a man that I was with for three months after the quake. He kept an eye on me for a while but left one night. I never did see him again," Wayne told Doc with a smile. Doc smirked but it quickly returned to a straight face.

"He left you because he knew your time had come to find a way to face the world on your own. I will do the same when the time is right," Doc said firmly to Wayne but notice he was asleep, "Goodnight kid." Doc laid his head down and thought quietly about Wayne. This human from another time seemed to give a touch to him that hadn't happened in a while something that felt trusting.

Just over the raise Littlefoot ran home with thoughts of the two days being firstly the shiny thing, then the sky ripples and the smoke flies that had almost killed him. That happened today but he couldn't forget those words that he heard from the one who saved him from the smoke flies.

Littlefoot manage to get home and see his grandparents just ahead. He came to a stop in front of them panting.

"Hey Grandpa, Grandma!"

"Well Littlefoot, we were about to call you. I guess we don't have to now," Grandma spoke in a tone, which Littlefoot could tell something was wrong.

"We were thinking about what you said earlier and well… me and Grandma noticed you were keeping something from us," Grandpa said in a strict tone meaning Littlefoot had no choice in the matter but to tell both of them what really happened in the morning.

"When I said I was lost, I was because after the smoking flies first hit they blocked up the route I took into the Mysterious Beyond. I wanted to find those things I saw fall out the sky ripples but after they blocked the path I took I had to try and find another way home. I saw in some of the holes made by the smoke flies the same thing I tripped on the day before the sky ripples appeared."

Littlefoot continued to talk to them as he walked around them to looking up at them right in front.

"I wandered further in the Mysterious Beyond looking for a way back to the Great Valley 'til I came to an area that… ugh…" Littlefoot paused for a second not sure how to tell them about the dead sharpteeth.

"Go on Littlefoot," Grandma said in a calm voice that helped give Littlefoot some courage to tell them.

"I saw dead sharpteeth. From the looks of them around where lots of smoke flies hit, there was… ugh… blood everywhere and some had no heads at all…" Littlefoot started to feel sick thinking back to those dead bodies being the first time he told anyone about it.

"Oh my… that is horrible! Go on dear, what happened next?" Grandma gave the go ahead for Littlefoot to continue.

"I was about to leave that place not wanting to see anymore of it. I turned to see two sharpteeth looking really mad; so mad that I couldn't move a muscle. I closed my eyes not wanting to see them pounce on me but it never happened. I opened my eyes to see they were now really scared that they were backing away, I was not sure why they were and looked behind me to see lots and lots of smoke flies coming towards me and them. When I looked back, they were gone and I was on my own looking at the smoke flies come closer and closer. I could not move at all; I was too scared to do so, but just as they were about to hit me, someone grabbed me from behind and pulled me down the hole with him," Littlefoot said now talking a lot clearer and taking breathers to tell them without second thoughts about what happened.

"That when I saw the smoke flies hit the land above the hole we were sliding down. I didn't see him but I heard him just over the very loud noise of the smoke flies going bang and letting large flames out of them. He said… 'It will be over shortly, hold yourself together' that when I passed out and then woke up outside the Great Valley laying on top of a large flat wood with a vine tied on it!" Littlefoot finally finished telling Grandma and Grandpa the whole thing with glee at the end of it. Before the grandparents could reply to his story, Littlefoot blurted out,

"And he sounded like a kid too!" With those last few words, Littlefoot beamed at his grandparents as they looked at each other then Littlefoot again.

Grandpa lowered his head down to Littlefoot.

"Well Littlefoot, Grandma and I are not mad at you since the rock slides did block that route and this someone who saved your life. I would like to find out who he and thank him for saving you," Grandpa said gently to him with a smile.

"You're not mad at me?" Littlefoot asked in partial confusion.

"We are disappointed that you disobeyed us but we are not mad at you because you told us the truth and you're still here," Grandma answered Littlefoot's question and rubbed her head with his. Littlefoot felt happier that he did tell them the truth and gave a cheerful smile back to his loving grandparents.

"Now I think that is settled, it's about time for you to get some sleep Littlefoot," Grandpa said pushing his head a bit behind Littlefoot getting his grandson to head to the nest.

"Ok Grandpa! Goodnight Grandma! Grandpa!" Littlefoot said to them and went off to the sleeping hole near by to get a good night's sleep.


	14. Chapter 13: An Unwelcome Hero

**Chapter 13: An Unwelcome Hero**

It was early morning and the bright circle was rising just above the Great Wall and at the arch rock where meetings took place all the dinosaurs that wanted to know about this hero they had heard about. The news had spread fast all over the Great Valley and now everyone was keen to find out more about this 'mysterious hero' that saved Littlefoot yesterday. To add some surprise to the meeting, a certain lone longneck was in the gathering of dinosaurs. Even the children were all up, still felt a bit sleepy, but Littlefoot was really buzzing with excitement finally getting to meet the one that saved his life.

Cera was on the other hand now getting annoyed as Littlefoot's tail flicked into her face for the sixth time in the last few minutes. She was now gritting her teeth holding in her anger as she try to withstand Littlefoot hyperactive tail whips. As it happened again and again, she became increasingly irritable and just as he about to do it again, Cera raised her front foot at a height trying to keep up with its erratic movements. Just as the tail was about to flick in her face again, she stomped down on it with her foot making Littlefoot yelped in pain. As he jumped forwards, he swung around looked Cera right in the eye.

"What was that for?" Littlefoot glared at her.

"You flicking your tail in my face! That what it was for! It was driving me crazy!" Cera growled at him really mad at this point. Littlefoot took one look and his expression changed from anger to a gulp of fear taking a step down.

"Sorry Cera I was… erm really can't wait to see the one that saved me…" Littlefoot promptly apologised to Cera.

Cera just grunted and said back, "That if it did happen…"

"It did happen!" Littlefoot protested.

"Yeah right!" Cera said and turned away still thinking it one big story.

Spike was looking over at Doc and noticed something behind Doc's right, front foot hiding from view of the others. Spike nudged Ducky with his snout trying to tell her what he saw.

"What is it Spike? Are you hungry?" Ducky asked her brother.

He shook his head sideways and nodded his head in a fashion to try and point to what he saw.

"Is this a guessing game Spike? I like guessing games. Yep, yep, yep!" Ducky clapped her hands together with a smile.

Spike shook his head again and still trying to point towards Doc with his head to get her to look there too.

"What is it then?" Ducky looked confused at the way Spike was acting.

With frustration Spike picked her up in his mouth carefully and turned her around until she was looking at Doc when he placed her back down, Spike with his sounds finally got Ducky to look at Doc.

"Oh is something over by Doc?" Ducky asked looking at Spike. Spike nodded with a smile.

"That why you acting strange just now. I get it now yep, yep, yep!" Ducky looking over at Doc to see what Spike saw, she put her hands just above her eyes blocking the glare from the sun when she noticed something but couldn't clearly see what it was.

"I saw it, I saw it! There is something there behind Doc's foot. Littlefoot story was true! Yes, it was!" Ducky cried jumping on the spot and pointing over at Doc. That's when Littlefoot and Cera took notice and looked at Ducky.

"What? No way! You must be seeing things," Cera barked still denying she was wrong so she looked for herself. When she saw what Ducky was pointing out, her jaw dropped open. She thought she saw something there for a second but disappeared right out of view of them behind Doc's right front foot.

"Is he over there?" Littlefoot asked looking at them, as he didn't catch it in time either.

"Well duh! Yes! You were telling the truth and now I feel like a idiot!" Cera grumbled at them not pleased at herself making a mistake and not believing Littlefoot's story.

Petrie arrived with his mum shortly afterwards and once he bid her farewell, he flew over to Littlefoot and the others.

"Sorry me late…" Petrie puffed as he landed on the ground looking at them, "What me miss?"

"Nothing that's what!" Cera shouted at Petrie making him fall over.

Petrie got back up on his feet looking at Cera.

"What me do?" Petrie asked in confusion.

"Nothing Petrie, she's just mad because she made a small mistake and it was all right," Littlefoot lowered his head down to Petrie then turned it to facing Cera.

"Really? You're not mad at me for calling you a liar?" Cera piped up looking at Littlefoot feeling a bit at ease.

"How can I stay mad with my greatest friends in the whole world?" Littlefoot said with a smile looking at all of them.

"Me can never be mad with any of you too!" Petrie agreed flapping his wings going a few feet high and then landing on the soft ground again.

"I can not be mad at any of you. I do not like it, oh no, no, no," Ducky beamed as she walked over to Cera climbed on her back looking down at Cera's eyes from up top with a warm smile.

"I guess we're all the greatest friends in the world!" Cera smiled too feeling a lot better now. Spike smiled and opened his mouth gulping them over a large amount of leaves eating them, everyone laughed as they gathered around Spike who was chewing on the plants with a happy grin on his face.

Wayne stood behind Doc's front leg having a quick look around this meeting area. There was so many different dinosaurs and this was worrying since all he needed was one of them to say something that would make him look bad and that would be it for him.

"Doc. I thought we was going to try and find a way that would not raise such a ruckus," Wayne said nervously to Doc keeping out of earshot of others.

Doc turned his head a little looking almost at Wayne.

"You see kid. Rumours have spread fast and they all heard you were with me while I entered the Valley. They haven't seen you but before they start imaging what you look like kid, it would be best to gather a meeting right now this early in the morning," Doc replied in a low quiet voice just enough for Wayne to barely hear him.

Wayne took a look around again and noticed a group of dinosaurs including the one he saved from the smoke flies was looking right at where he was. He quickly took cover behind Doc's large leg pressing his back against it.

"Talk about facing your nervous… I feel like they all just been blow away" Wayne mumbles in unpleased manner.

"They might have seen you but not very clearly. It's early and the Bright Circle is in their eyes," Doc said quietly to Wayne as he looked at the gathered dinosaurs seeing that the meeting seem to be starting any second.

"Now kid, stay where you are 'til I say for you to show yourself."

Wayne appeared in the corner of his right eye for a second giving a nod and going back to behind Doc's leg.

"This Valley fanatic and all but it might be a place for me to stay around for a time… I could really upset the balance…" Wayne paused talking to himself putting a thought to what Doc told him in the early morning before arriving at this meeting place.

"Then again…maybe the balance been damaged already from those missiles appearing over the skies with those weird flashings. I gather they are human weapons also… but who would be testing such stuff in this era?" Wayne whispered to himself putting some more thought to Doc's words earlier on.

Mr Threehorn looked around at the gathered dinosaurs and came to a stop in front of Doc. Even though he came back after a short while, but this time with something else from all the rumours he had heard.

"Now, all those who want this rumour cleared have gathered. Now we can get straight down to the reason why we all here!" Mr Threehorn said in a sleepy but hard tone to the other dinosaurs.

"I know we all still a bit sleepy from getting up early, but please try to keep a even temper my friend," Grandpa asked Mr Threehorn looking at him.

Mr Threehorn glared at him but didn't say anything. He looked away from him keeping his temper hidden since it was early and the longneck was right about everyone being sleepy.

Cera knew the grown-ups haven't seen the creature hiding behind Doc's leg but before she could say something Littlefoot nudged her with his right side. She looked at him with an angry expression and snorted looking back at the meeting getting the message that Doc had some reason for not showing the adults the creature that supposedly saved Littlefoot's life.

"Look longneck! I know we're all sleepy but I want this rumour cleared up at once and for all before we drop off to sleep again!" Mr Threehorn snapped at them.

One of the clubtails came forward.

"I know how you feel. I was up all night trying to think how this 'hero' of the young longneck over there saved his life from such things like those smoke flies," she agreed which cause everyone to start talking to each other about it with one trying to overpower the other.

"Please calm yourselves, this is no time for debate! We here to find out who this is, I would gladly thank him for saving our Littlefoot," Grandma spoke out over their voices they all looked over at her with wondering eyes. Doc on the other hand was just listening to this waiting for the perfect time to step in. Spike went over to him and Ducky's mum looking down at him.

"What is it Spike? Is something bothering you?" she asked her son. He gave little nod and looked over at Doc, "It's only Doc Spike. What is it that's bothering…" Ducky's mum trailed off when she noticed something behind Doc's front leg for second before it went out of view.

"Why should we be calm? That longneck brought something with him and we have no idea what it is or even looks like..." Mr Threehorn said but then paused once he saw the expression on Ducky's mum's face as she stared over at Doc. She had clearly seen something extremely shocking.

"Swimmer? What's your problem?" Mr Threehorn grunted.

"I think you should see for yourself," Ducky's mum said pointing over to Doc. Everyone looked over at him.

Doc noticed this and felt it was time for him to start talking.

"Well friends, looks like you're all wondering what I am hiding," Doc said. Wayne thought it was the time he should come out of hiding but stopped when he noticed Doc continuing.

"But before I do reveal what I am hiding, I'd like to tell you all a few things first," Doc said to them which some found hard to believe since the last few times he was all quiet and not talking much to anyone at all.

"Humph! You got something to tell us? That a new one!" Mr Threehorn muttered sarcastically looking at Doc not believing that this lone dinosaur had something to tell them.

"Well my friend I do," Doc looked at him with his keen eyes which always had made Mr Threehorn step down for some reason. "Now this child I…"

"Child? You're saying a child saved Littlefoot?" Mr Threehorn burst out in an outrage, "With all the dinosaurs in the world, you have to make up something like this!" Mr Threehorn said in a high and mighty bad mood.

"Friend, if you would like me to tell you why, I suggest you keep quiet and let me continue," Doc said calmly looking at him but he indignantly grunted and turned away now already set his mind on one thing.

"As I was saying, the child I am hiding from you all is not dinosaur like ourselves. He is a kind that has not appeared on this world yet, he came here by something he can't remember. He is from a time far beyond our lifetime, he saved Littlefoot yes and he is a hero in that sense," Doc said to them, they all but Grandpa and Grandma looked at him totally stunned for once. He had said a lengthy speech about this creature that saved Littlefoot.

"I, like you, all want to meet the hero that saved Littefoot," Doc said lifting his foot up revealing Wayne to everyone. He looked at all of them and nervously gave a small wave. They all stared at him mouths opened; they had never seen such a thing in their lives. Even the children were speechless seeing him for the first time.

Mr Threehorn stamped his foot hard onto the ground walking towards Doc,

"This puny thing saved Littlefoot? That's a laugh! No way such a creature like this could do such a thing and if so how can we trust it? It's not even a dinosaur and this kind could be very dangerous to us all!" Mr Threehorn bellowed and came right close to Wayne who was now scared out of his mind seeing such an anger mood. In return to the step forward from Mr Threehorn, Wayne took a few steps back from him.

"Now Threehorn, we don't know for sure if he is dangerous or not," Grandpa said to Mr Threehorn trying his best to defuse the problem that occurred.

"Are you willing to risk our home by trusting some creature from the future?" Mr Threehorn said which then started talks between the other grown-up dinosaurs.

"I didn't say that my friend, all I said was that how can we be so sure if he is dangerous bearing in mind he did rescue our grandson," Grandpa replied back trying once more time to defuse the problem.

Meanwhile, Wayne stood there frozen in fear of how close the angry Triceratops was to him and how angry he was too. Wayne felt like a loud explosion went off beside him not noticing a little Parasaurolophus came right up to him,

"Hi, hi, hi!"

"Ahh!" Wayne yelled and fell backwards in even more shock as he landed on his back lying there stunned.

The little dinosaur jumped on his chest looking at him, he raised his head a bit looking right at her.

"No need to be scared, I will not hurt you, oh no, no, no," she then giggled.

Wayne pushed himself up a bit.

"I am Ducky! What your name?" Wayne blinked at what Ducky said, even with the adult dinosaurs talking to each other including Doc. Compared to everyone's reaction, this one seemed to be more of the friendly type that didn't come up with a sharp conclusion like the Triceratops that shouted in his face scaring the hell out of him.

"Erm…" he slurred but before Wayne could say anything to Ducky, the others came up to him and he noticed a smaller Triceratops with the others approaching. With that, he took a gulp hoping this one not as loud and scary like the adult one.

"Me Petrie, nice to meet one who saved Littlefoot from scary smoke things," Petrie said in an instant, landing on the ground as Ducky jumped off Wayne and standing beside him, "You look no trusting to me."

"Humph! Maybe that's because it's all an act! Like Daddy said we don't know anything about his kind." Wayne took a big gulp this time hearing the girl Triceratops talk just like the bigger one that yelled in his face. He quickly deduced that that was her father.

"Hey! What're you so scared about?" Cera snapped and took a step forwards and Wayne flinched for a second, "I see you're scared of me." Cera smirked and took another step for the fun of seeing Wayne back up a bit.

"Cera! That isn't very nice!" Littlefoot said coming up beside Cera with Spike. Wayne now looked at them but keep his eye on Cera. She was being too much of a fright since he guessed that within an instant, her father who was nearby would bring unwelcome consequences.

"Why do you not talk? What is your name?" Ducky asked again.

"W-W-Wayne…" Wayne managed to say with sweat still pouring down his head.

"Hey! I heard that voice! You are the one! I know it! You're the one that saved me from the smoke flies!" Littlefoot blurted out almost forgetting to introduce himself, "Oh I forgot. My name is Littlefoot; I am a longneck. This is Petrie the flyer, Ducky the swimmer, Spike the spiketail and Cera the threehorn," Littlefoot said with glee seeing his hero face to face.

"Littlefoot! Look, we have no idea what he is so why tell him what our kinds are? For all we know he could use this for some bad thing!" Cera turned to Littlefoot walking right at him really not pleased at him blurting all that out.

"Human," Wayne then said suddenly. Cera looked right at Wayne.

"What did you say?"

"I said, I am a human."

Cera narrowed her eyes at him.

"So 'human' tell me this. Are your kind meat eaters!" Cera asked harshly glaring at him.

"Not from what I know of… since I've seen little of others of my kind on my travels," Wayne said without realising that the grown-ups had stopped talking and now listening to the children talking to Wayne.

"What do you mean 'seen little of your kind'? Didn't Doc say you kind are the ones that live in the future after us?" Cera questioned him further, which was making her Dad proud of her way of questioning.

"Yes. Humans live on the world once ruled by dinosaurs but in my time a large quake with such power hit every corner of the planet. It killed most of the human race…" Wayne told her, which no one expected to hear.

"Oh no, no, no! That is bad, very bad…" Ducky said feeling sad for Wayne at this point with Spike licking her trying to cheer her up.

"That is very horrible to hear," Littlefoot said feeling like Cera should not have pushed so hard with the questioning.

"Me sorry to hear that," Petrie said wiping a tear from one of his eyes and Cera gave a grunt turning away.

"I think that's solved the debate wouldn't you say Threehorn?" Grandpa said smiling at Mr Threehorn. Just then, Wayne and the others turned and looked right at the adults.

"I believe so but I still don't trust that hu-hum… thing!" Mr Threehorn barked giving Wayne a sharp look which made him take a step back from him still not feeling at all safe being near a beast his size.

"Come Cera," Mr Threehorn said turning away with Cera coming up behind him as they walked off.

"Come Ducky, come Spike time for breakfast," Ducky's mum said to her children with them departing.

"You too Petrie it time for something to eat," Petrie's mum called from above, Petrie flew up to his mum and they both left as well.

A little while later it was only Littlefoot, his grandparents, Wayne and Doc still around at the meeting area.

"So Doc, from what you've said I gather this is the one that Littlefoot was so worked up about last night and this morning," Grandpa said looking at Littlefoot and then Doc.

"Yes indeed but I have to say there are a lot of Great Valley dinosaurs that don't want the kid to stay even though they didn't openly say so," Doc replied to Grandpa's inquiry.

As they spoke, Wayne sat on a rock eating one of the two apples he had in his bag thinking back to the last time he had been so scared. He couldn't stop wondering why he even bothered to stay in this place. He knew he wasn't welcome by most but some did have an open mind about him at least. His next thing to get his eyes fixed on was from looking at the little Brontosaurus named Littlefoot, the one he saved from the smoke flies; Wayne had mixed feelings about the dinosaur. He was pleased to save his life and bring him home, but he was not very pleased at the mess he created by being spotted by Doc and showing himself to a large group of dinosaurs creating more problems then solving them.

Littlefoot noticed that Wayne was looking at him but the next thing he knew a green semi round object rolled to a stop in front of his front feet. He bent his head down taking a sniff and it wondering what it was. Littlefoot picked it up with his mouth and as he did the soft apple skin was pierced with his flat teeth with some fruit juices entering his mouth and tongue. It tasted sweet and bitter to Littlefoot as he let go off it landing in front of him with his teeth marks on the green skin of the apple.

"That tastes all weird. I've never tasted anything like it before," Littlefoot said yapping as the flavour lingered in his mouth. Intrigued, he then putting his mouth partly over it this time and using one foot to anchor it in place, he bit into it. As he chewed the piece in his mouth, the full flavour of the apple came to him. Strangely, it was sweet, bitter and tasteful all at once, he swallowed it licking the apple juices off the rims of his mouth with his tongue.

"Mmm… that tasted good!" Littlefoot smiled and took another bite out of it eating some more of the apple.

"I see you liked the apple," Wayne said and he took a bite out of his one, "It even leave a impression of your teeth when bitten into." Wayne rolled his apple over and showed his teeth impression in it.

"Wow cool! It tastes good and leaves teeth marks in it," Littlefoot exclaimed as he let Wayne look at his teeth marks in the apple he'd left. "Erm… what is a apple anyway?"

"It's a fruit that only grows in some places as far as I know. I got these two we're eating from a trade post a few days ago, in my era at least," Wayne said and then took another bite out of his apple and chewed on it.

"You only had two? If they only grow in some places why didn't you take more?" Littlefoot asked.

"I wish I could but it would have cost me more then what I traded for them," Wayne replied folding his arms.

"Tr-tr-trade what trade?" Wayne shook his head then looking at Littlefoot.

"A human word and thing, but I can't tell you what it means. It a bit complicated," Wayne said keeping thought about the words in the book that he read and what would happen if he did explain each word a normal human would use.

"Why did you tell me about an apple then? If apples only grow in human time?" Littlefoot then set innocent. Wayne flinched awkwardly as Littlefoot had caught him out at that point.

"I gave you it because… erm… it… was food that does grow in this era but in some places only," Wayne quickly said to Littlefoot.

"Oh. Like the weird food on the island Chomper lives on, I see now. Wow! So these apples could be growing on that island?" Littlefoot said with Wayne smiling glad to have sorted his little dilemma out.

"Oh! I didn't get a chance to thank you for saving my life from those smoke flies," Littlefoot said running up to the Tall Trees before Wayne could say anything. He was a bit stunned as he watched Littlefoot leave. Silently, he wondered why Littlefoot ran off like that.

"Erm… right, now I have done it…" Wayne mumbled sitting back down taking the bottle out of the bag drinking some of the water inside it. He placed the lid back on it placing it down on the ground beside him.

Littlefoot came back with the wooden sledge dragging it along by the vines coming up to his grandparents and Doc on the way.

Grandma and Grandpa saw what Littlefoot came back with and wondered what it was. "Well Littlefoot, what do you have there?" Grandpa asked Littlefoot.

"Thhis is tthe shing thsh Waynh brshout msh home shon," Littlefoot said with the vines in his mouth still.

"Now Littlefoot say it without the vines in your mouth," Grandma said with a small laugh. Littlefoot obediently spat the vines out and looked up at them again.

"Sorry! I was saying, this is the thing Wayne brought me home on," Littlefoot repeated.

"Indeed it was. I noticed the kid dragging it to the Great Valley with Littlefoot on top," Doc said joining in with them.

"So Wayne saved your life and brought you home, that is very noble of him to do such a thing," Grandma said to Littlefoot.

"Well from what you told us Doc, we might be able to thank him in a way that no other would think of," Grandpa said with a smile.

"What do you mean Grandpa?"

Grandpa lowered his head whispered to Littlefoot.

"By having a bit of fun. Doc told us Wayne hadn't had a real amount of fun like any other child. So Littlefoot, I suggest you take Wayne with you and have some fun, he could probably use it."

"I will Grandpa!" Littlefoot shouted joyfully and ran off to find Wayne leaving the wooden sledge behind.

Littlefoot felt like he had something really important to do now and it was letting Wayne have fun in the Great Valley.

"_It could be Wayne's award,_" Littlefoot thought to himself. There were tons of things to do and the next thing was to get Wayne to meet up with Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Cera again. From first views, Littlefoot knew it would be a real hard challenge to get Wayne and Cera to be friends since Wayne was very nervous being around Cera for a few moments at the meeting area. He wasn't too surprised since her dad's yelling and stomping did give a frightening impression. Now Littlefoot's real task was to get Wayne not to be so scared of Cera and her dad and get him to have fun with them not to worry about doing stuff that might make things worse.


	15. Chapter 14: The Great Challenge

**Chapter 14: The Great Challenge**

Wayne stared at the beautiful view of the Great Valley as he sat high up so he could see all the areas below him. It was a place that one could only dream of with its luscious green fields and mile high trees; it was clearly a herbivore's paradise from what he could gather from his view.

"I wonder if a place like this existed in my time," Wayne said quietly to himself looking around from where he sat admiring the Great Valley's green and freshness of the leaves on the trees and the grass on the ground surrounding him giving off a sweet scent that lingered in the air.

"Wow! You're still here? I thought you would have went off to explore the Great Valley," Wayne heard the voice and turned around and found Littlefoot standing only few feet away.

"You have to be kidding," Wayne replied getting up waving his hands a bit frantically.

"Why?" Littlefoot asked a little confused seeing a little panic come over Wayne.

"One huge reason, that's why," Wayne said and put up three fingers, "a certain three horned dinosaur with a voice of a loud speaker and power of a freight train!" Wayne told him flatly talking about Cera's father.

"Loud what? Frei…?" Littlefoot babbled having a bit of trouble saying some of the words but Wayne just shook his head. He had forgotten about them not knowing some of the words that he used, he just gave up hiding the truth of these words.

"Well, a freight train is a large man made object that runs on two rails and have huge power into ramming into things," Wayne said trying to give a explanation of a train.

"Freight… train can hit things head on with same thing like Cera's dad?" Littlefoot gave his thoughts of a freight train was.

"Well, kind of, but I guess if it was him and that train, the train would win since it travelling at very fast speeds. More speed to a moving object, the more power it has behind it," Wayne said using a brief theory of speed and mass.

"O…k…" Littlefoot murmured still unsure what he said but getting a small hint of what Wayne was trying to tell him.

"But you don't have to worry about Cera's dad. He is ok once you get to know him and he gets to know you a bit better," Littlefoot said reassuring Wayne as best he could.

Wayne thought back to a few hours ago and gulped a bit,

"I don't know. Every time I see him my nerves are totally shattered."

Littlefoot sighed seeing that Mr Threehorn had gotten right into Wayne in the worst way possible and now it was going to take a lot of work to turn that back into a natural feeling.

"Why don't I show you around? I bet you will like it here," Littlefoot suggested turning away and starting to walk to the Thundering Falls. He turned back and glanced at Wayne, "And we will keep our distance from Mr Threehorn," Littlefoot smiled and walked on.

"Alright…" Wayne gave a small smirk relieved to hear they would not be going anywhere near Mr Threehorn.

"Lead the way," Wayne said grabbing his backpack and catching up with Littlefoot.

While Cera was eating her green food, she noticed her dad was a bit in an unusual mood. He was much more silent and was not yelling and shouting about the problems around him and the Great Valley as he normally did.

"Daddy?" Cera asked a little uneasily.

"What Cera?" Mr Threehorn turned his eyes fixing them on his daughter.

Cera took a second of thought then said, "Are you feeling ok? You're not usually this quiet, Daddy."

Mr Threehorn noticed his daughter's concern.

"It's nothing to worry about," he said to Cera but it was no good since she still looked a bit concerned despite her nodding and returning to her food.

"It's that lone longneck why I am quiet. I am thinking why is he talking so much now. It's like he's not the character that I saw in him when I first saw him," Mr Threehorn told Cera which made her think twice and noticing Doc's weird change.

"Yeah Daddy you're right, but could it be something to do with the untrusting human?" Cera asked. Mr Threehorn growl a bit angry about the human being in the Valley.

"It makes sense that that creature called a HUMAN appears and the lone longneck now talks more then he usually does and stick up for that thing," Mr Threehorn said with mix anger and annoyance. Cera felt more comfortable with her dad talking about the human causing problems for them rather than being nothing out of the ordinary like wandering herd, the Farwalkers, coming to the Valley.

"Daddy can I go and play?" Cera then asked after a minute's silence and Mr Threehorn started to walk off.

"Yes you can and if I know your friend Littlefoot, you will have a unwelcome visitor with him," Mr Threehorn said indignantly before walking off out of sight. With Cera understanding what he meant about the so-called hero, as she ran off to the Thundering Falls.

Meanwhile, by the Thundering Falls, Littlefoot had led the way showing Wayne the area and the tranquil enclosure it was in but Wayne just stood by a tree looking at the falls not saying anything. Strangely, whenever Littlefoot try to ask what he was doing, all Littlefoot got from him was 'shh'. Ducky soon arrived with Spike close behind.

"Hi Littlefoot!" she called to him. He turned and looked at her.

"Hi Ducky, you need to keep quiet. Wayne's doing something but I am not sure what it is," Littlefoot whispered to Ducky turning his head back to look at Wayne.

"Your hero is doing what? He is standing by the tree, yes he is," Ducky whispered back with a giggle finding this whispering a game. Spike went beside Wayne and looked up at him noticing Wayne had his eyes closed and saying words under his breath. Although, he seemed not to mind Spike standing beside him.

"Look. Spike is standing there and Wayne is not minding, yep, yep, yep," Ducky pointed to Spike with Littlefoot looking at him too. Wayne then opened his eyes and wiped a single tear away before opening his hands a bit revealing a golden, shining bracelet with red, blue and green gems in it. Slowly placing it in his pocket, he turned his head and looking down at Spike putting a finger to his lips. Spike nods to Wayne's request getting what he meant. Littlefoot and Ducky went over to them.

"What was that about? The quiet thing?" Littlefoot asked Wayne curiously.

"Was it a game?" Ducky asked straight afterwards.

"Not really… just paying respect to someone that has been gone for a long time…" Wayne said to them looking at his watch but it showed nothing but a blank screen.

"I guess this is junk," Wayne mumbled pulling the strap off and removing the watch from his arm.

"What did you do to your skin?" Ducky said in fright.

"Huh? What? Oh this is not my skin, it's only a watch. It's something that fits around my arm see?" Wayne explained showing Ducky the watch and showed how it placed around his wrist, "It's a sticky form that sticks to fluffy things like this bit." Wayne took it off and hanged it down lower enough for Ducky to get a feel of the fluffy part and prickly part of the watch's Velcro strap.

"Wow you're right! Fluffy bit feels soft and sticky thing feel prickly and it sticks! Oh yes, yes, yes!" Ducky chirped taking the watch but had a bit of trouble holding it up. With a firmer grip on it, she laughed as she pulled the two tabs apart and stuck them together again.

"You had us worried for a second Wayne," Littlefoot said looking at Wayne seeing some fluffy things on him, "Is the pinky cream colour your true skin and the others not real skin?" Littlefoot inquired with that Wayne gave a small smirk.

"Yes, it's what humans wear it; we call them clothes. Humans wear stuff like this because our skin isn't well protected against temperatures and weather around us." Wayne said trying to give a best explanation of humans wearing the clothing as he could.

"See Spike. Stick… unstick… stick… unstick." Wayne and Littlefoot looked at Ducky showing Spike the strap unsticking and sticking. They laughed a bit before Petrie flew right into Wayne's face.

"Oh, hi!" Petrie said.

"Whoa!" Wayne yelled as he fell over Littlefoot landing on his back looking at Petrie. "Please do that about 5ft away…" Wayne pleaded to the winged dinosaur.

"Me sorry," Petrie said landing on the ground, "Me thought you knew me was already here."

"It's ok Petrie," Littlefoot said to him with a smile, "Wayne, are you alright?"

"Nothing broken so no problem," Wayne said picking himself up, "keep that up and you'll end up scarring someone."

"You think so?" Petrie asked slightly concerned.

"I know so," Wayne said back.

"Yeah, Scary!" Petrie cawed nervously as he flapped his wings. As he flew away with his eyes closed, he found himself landing on something. Within seconds of him landing, he opened his eyes and saw Cera's eyes right next to his.

"Err… hi Cera…"

"Petrie! Get off my face before I make you!" Cera snapped. Petrie gulped and did as he was told. Soon, a sound drew her attention. It was a crackling sound and an odd sound coming from…

"Ducky? What is that thing you got making that noise?"

"Oh! It's sticky and unsticky! Oh yes it is! Wayne let me play with it! It is fun, fun, fun!" Ducky said with a giggle shortly before quickly returning to pull the strap off and on. Cera rolled her eyes and then looked at Wayne.

"Why aren't I surprised that something that looked odd and sounded just as odd come from something that doesn't belong here," Cera sarcastically said to Wayne with a hint in her voice that he was still unwelcome.

"Well, who got up on the wrong side of the bed today?" Wayne replied back with his own sarcasms. Cera gave a low angry look through her clenching teeth. Littlefoot was pleased to see Wayne wasn't worried about being scared of Cera because of Mr Threehorn but Wayne did a come back that wouldn't help any relationship get along smoothly.

"Erm… how about we play a game? Something we all came play?" Littlefoot said quickly trying to calm the tension that just been caused.

"What? A game with that human? No way!" Cera barked turning away sticking her tail in the air.

"I am getting a strong impression she doesn't like me around," Wayne whispered to Spike. Spike looked at Wayne and gave a nod before going back to eating more green food.

"Come on Cera, give him a chance," Littlefoot pleaded with the indignant triceratops.

"Littlefoot! He's a thing from this future! We don't know anything about him! But just what he said! I bet he isn't even this hero," Cera said turning back to Littlefoot with a pleased look on her face.

"But Ce…"

"You're right. I am no hero… it's all what your families and other adult dinosaurs had said," Wayne said which made Cera looking at him in shock, "It was luck that I saw Littlefoot and saved him from the missiles… I was extremely scared seeing these deadly warheads coming towards the location I took a gamble to run to the hole of one of the craters." Wayne took a small breath of air and before anyone could say anything he continued,

"I saw Littlefoot and grabbed him pulling him down the hole. It was that split second choice that could have killed us both but it didn't and I just saved your life," Wayne looked at Littlefoot walking passed him and kneeling down to face Cera eye to eye.

"I can't lie about my fears. I did bring Littlefoot home, again purely by chance. I wasn't really sure if this place was his home and I am not as smart with human items as you think I am. I only know some things, not all of it, in a world that's dying in my time and I am mainly thinking of how I will live the day, nothing more."

Wayne stood up with Cera now feeling a bit guilty and everyone else being quiet knowing he is about to continue.

"I came to the Great Valley because Doc watched me take Littlefoot home. Seeing that, he obviously thought I was a hero when I am nothing but a single, lonely guy who was really only thinking of himself before coming to this era. It is true I have been alone for a long time no friends, or family; just me on my own, travelling on cursed soil, living each day as it comes, surviving on what ever food I can get hold of…" Wayne finally said crouching back down on his knees with his head hung low with a few tears falling.

"I-I-I… I'm sorry," Cera said walking up to Wayne who lifted his head up and looked at him, "Your story of your feelings… was erm… sad… I never knew…"

"How could you? I never said anything to you or the others about it," Wayne said wiping the tears away from his eyes.

"Me crying! It too sad!" Petrie sobbed holding on to Ducky who was sobbing a bit too.

"Oh yes it was sad, it was, it was," Ducky wept wiped a few tear from her eyes.

Littlefoot had tears in his eyes as well feeling as much affect as the others,

"Wayne, Grandpa told me that someone only lets their feelings out like that when they are talking to those who they feel are their friends."

Wayne stood up and looked at him very confused.

"But… I hardly know you lot," Wayne said flatly.

"Yeah, that is true, but we could talk in the Tall Trees about it while we have something to eat," Cera said to the others as they looked at Wayne with piercing eyes that made him feel a bit nervous.

"Alright, alright! You win! Just, no more of the big eyes please," Wayne said backing up a bit.

"Wayne watch out for your…" Littlefoot warned but before he could say anything else, Wayne had tripped over his bag that was on the ground behind him sending him flying backwards in the water with a big splash, "backholder…" Littlefoot finished with everyone laughing as Wayne climbed out dripping wet. Wayne spat out some water and looked at them flicking some of his hair up which covered some part of his view.

"I am glad you all finding it funny," Wayne said slightly annoyed ringing out some water from his t-shirt.

"Well duh! You fell and went SPLASH!" Cera said laughing even more. With that, Wayne, smiling deviously, took hold of his backpack pulling out his empty bottle. Returning to the water's edge, he filled it up with water and threw some at Cera while she was still laughing.

"AH!" Cera yelped feeling the cold water hitting her face. Attention quickly switched as everyone stood laughing at her now. In a rage, Cera charged at Wayne but he calmly and simply stepped out the way just before she landed on top of him. "AHHH!" Cera screamed again as she slid into the water with a splash.

"Now who fell and went splash?" Wayne chuckled.

"I will get you for that!" Cera shouted getting out and chasing after Wayne as he grabbed his backpack and started running away from Cera. Littlefoot and the others raced after them with laughter. Littlefoot felt proud inside while having the fun, seeing that Wayne was having fun too, it was something that was a great challenge but was a greatly accomplished one.


	16. Chapter 15: The Creature of the Storm

**Chapter 15: The Creature of the Storm**

Far outside the borders of the Great Valley, near the Lands of Mists, storms ravaged the land with lightning strikes, roaring winds and heavy rainfall which came earlier then the Wise One had predicted. Still, she was able to lead her herd of longnecks to a network of caves large enough for them to stay the night. During the journey there, Ali had her eyes shielded away from harsh downpour blindly following the herd while walking against the hard batting winds. On approaching their destination, the herd came to a fork which had one track leading up and the other going down. The herd took the path down to the caves whilst Ali went up path leading away from the herd. By the time she had realised her mistake, her herd was nowhere to be seen.

"Mother!" Ali cried out against the howling wind but to no avail. Her voice was drowned out and failed to reach out to anyone nearby.

Meanwhile, in the caves, all the longnecks gathered to rest.

"Good. We all made it," the Wise One said to the others looking around seeing water still dripping off the other longnecks' skin, "We will wait here for the storm to die out."

"Why did this happen Wise One?" one of the longnecks asked.

"This hasn't happened so unexpectedly before. I always knew that the rains came around this time but it normally comes in the next few days," a female one said stepping beside the first one that spoke.

"I am just as confused about all this as you all are. All the years we've travelled and nothing like this has happened before," the Wise One spoke calmly keeping check of the order of the herd.

"Ali? Ali, where are you dear?" Ali's mother called out turning everyone's attention to her, "has anyone seen Ali?" Ali's mother asked all the other longnecks.

Most of them shook their heads giving a worrying sign that Ali was still outside in the storm. Without a second thought, Ali's mother started to head back to the entrance of the cave before the Wise One stepped in the way.

"Don't go back into the storm; it is getting stronger. If she's anything like you, she would find shelter and wait until the storm before finding us," the Wise One assured Ali's mother.

"I hope your right Wise One," Ali's mother said quietly turning away from the Wise One and fixing her view on the entrance.

"I believe so my child," she whispered to Ali's mother just in earshot making Ali's mother look back for a second with a small smile but she still felt helpless that she couldn't do anything for her daughter who was outside in the storm somewhere.

Outside in the storm, some others were having the same problem as Ali trying to find their way around through the increasing winds and lightning strikes.

"Icky! I can't see a thing!" Dil shouted out with all her might just able to be heard by Icky who was holding onto Dil's head for dear life.

"How am I supposed to know? I can't open my eyes coz of the wind being so strong!" Icky cried out as Dil moved on.

"How we meant to follow those longnecks in this weather Icky?" Dil asked that made Icky roll his eyes.

"WE CAN'T!" Icky shouted back with a foul mood.

"DON'T YELL AT ME!" Dil shouted with anger ready to throw him off her back not caring at this point that Icky would get blown away but she stopped when two bright beams of light shined over them from in front. They both looked at it will fright.

"Icky…?" Dil said nervously.

"Dil…?" Icky replied trembling just as much. They then locked eyes with each other.

"RUN!" they both cried out. Dil turned away and clumsily ran away with her belly dragging on the muddy ground and lifting off for seconds at a time getting away from what was making the light.

Ali was only about thirty metres away in a small cave but didn't hear any of the cries of fear outside coming from Dil and Icky. She was curled up in a ball trying to keep as warm as possible from the rainwater that was all over her. Ali had managed to get in the cave before the worst parts hit but the howling of the wind was heard loud and harsh some of which was sweeping into the cave itself. As the storm slowly began to die down, Ali heard the winds calming and the rain becoming softer but then a huge blast rang out.

"AHHH!" Ali yelled before she jumped to her feet in seconds and ran out the cave only to get some type of vine thing open up and wrap round her. Ali was now totally petrified at this point as she struggled with the vine. As she fought, he saw something walking towards her from two bright circles just behind it. Ali felt her body giving into the shook and everything went black.

Light shined on Ali's face forcing her to open her eyes grumbling in dizziness. Slowly, her vision cleared and she saw the clouds had broken apart and the sun was out again. As she tried to move her legs, she quickly found that all four of them were not moving probably. That's when see looked at them to see that the lower parts had vine-like things around them so tight that they pressed her feet together; front two together and the back two together. To her surprise, Ali then heard some voice just in front and some large, grey puddles with an odd looking dinosaur sitting a bit further away from it on a rock doing something to a object that Ali had no clue what it was.

"Lieutenant Maxcien to Tri-Macrock-Labs, do you copy?" lieutenant Maxcien spoke pressing a few keys and the dish moved around a bit on top of the Temporal Modulation Communication Device. This gadget, the TMCD for short, was a device that was roughly the size of a laptop from the early 21st century but not used like a laptop, just for talking to Tri-Macrock-Labs in the present day to lieutenant Maxcien.

"What is that weird dinosaur doing? Is she talking to thin air?" Ali asked herself quietly watching lieutenant Maxcien from where she laid not able to get her legs loose from the strange vines.

"Tri-Macrock-Labs, this is lieutenant Maxcien, do you copy?" Lt Maxcien pushed a few more keys and twisted a knob by the small pole holding the dish up turning it and making the dish move a bit. Soon, the screen came to life showing an image of a man on it but not totally clear. Ali saw it too and she was totally confused at what she seeing. It was another one of those creatures but on that small flat object which had ground sparkles on it and slowly disappeared but not totally to see the same kind of weird dinosaur that was in front of her. It didn't appear to make sense.

"Ah I see you finally got the TMCD working my fine lieutenant," Professor Helienson said pulling a stick in front of him and tapping his screen with it. Maxcien simply sat there with her left eyebrow raised in slight confusion,

"Sir… that's not what I've called you for…"

"Then why did you call me?" Helienson said turning from a pleased face to an angry and foul mood.

"My Jeep and many other items are…"

"Slush?" the professor kindly finished off for her, "Yes, I know. Since the jeep and the items wasn't designed for temporal time travel, they were all a bit… well de-evolved to what it would look like sixty-five million years ago," Professor Helienson explained to her as he sat back and then took a sip of water in a mug.

"Thank you for the explanation sir, but before I go, I have something to show you," lieutenant Maxcien said that and the Professor sat up placing the mug down looking right at the screen.

"Well… hurry then, show me!"

Lieutenant Maxcien moved out the way so the professor could see.

"I caught this dinosaur. It witnessed me entering this time so I had no choice but to capture it," Lt Maxcien reported as she sat back down in front of the screen.

"I see… nice catch my lieutenant and now I have a small task. Go to that little Brontosaurus," Professor Helienson ordered before reading out some tasks.

"Look at it's teeth, check the scales, the rounded claws on each foot, the underside of the feet, length from tail to head, height with it's head high of cause standing up and check what gender it is."

Maxcien paused for a second and looked at the screen in disgust at the last order.

"Sir! If you want to know the gender, do it yourself!"

"Do it!" Helienson shouted at her pointing the stick to the screen.

Maxcien stood up and went over to the dinosaur.

"Better get the gender bit done first… get it out the way," Maxcien grumbled as she knelt down to check.

"I'm a girl!" Ali cried out making Maxcien jump back losing her balance landing on her backside. With her gun pulled out shaking, she looked at Ali completely dumbfounded.

"Don't go there!" Ali said in disgust at Maxcien.

"Holy Mother of life! You can talk!" lieutenant Maxcien blurted out startled at the sight in front of her, "You're right, you are so no need to do that now." Maxcien placed the gun back in the holder and calmly started to check Ali's feet, rounded claws on her four toes, the scales and other tasks even with all Ali's shouting and not cooperating moves to make things harder for Maxcien. Maxcien went back to the TMCD and placed the results in a tube, which went in it and fired into the air entering a sky ripple.

"This is new the dinosaur can talk? I heard all HER shouting from here. I've got an idea. Since the boy escaped me three years ago, I always wanted to complete what I finished. Now, find where the boy is and trade him for the loud mouth Brontosaurus, THAT means alive not dead or dying! I want him brought to me unharmed," Professor Helienson told lieutenant Maxcien blandly before the screen went blank.

"Now dinosaur, keep quiet!" Maxcien glared at Ali who soon went mute seeing the dark look Maxcien gave her, "We going to take a walk and two things are to be known. One. We will walk from here after having breakfast to the sun going down and Two… morning and sunset will be the only times we eat. If you don't keep up with me I will drag you by the neck. Got it?" Lieutenant Maxcien said nastily which forced Ali to nod hastily. As she walked over to Ali, Maxcien pulled out a rope from her pouch on the belt.

"It's… Ali…" Ali said quietly.

"What?" Maxcien barked.

"My…my name is Ali…" she repeated sheepishly.

"Ali? So dinosaurs have names?" Maxcien started to laugh a bit, "What a world! First dinosaurs are speaking the language humans speak and second they have names! Ha, ha, ha! This is so funny how this is turning out!" Maxcien laughed a bit more.

Maxcien tied rope around Ali's neck not too tight to choke her and untied the ropes from Ali's feet. Seeing a small chance, Ali took it and tried to run but only got a few feet away before she felt the rope snag around her throat causing her to stop. Coughing, she found that it was the rope around her neck stopping her from getting away. Ali followed to rope to a bit around Maxcien's hand as she stood with a wild smirk on her face and Ali quickly got the message that she had to follow Maxcien.

"Now Ali, do you know of any valleys with lush green trees and grass in it?" Maxcien asked her who was feeling silent at this point, "Now do you or don't you… speak up…"

Ali took a time to notice what Maxcien just said,

"How do you know the Great Valley?" Ali burst out at Maxcien.

"Oh so that's what it is called. Well, we fired a missile strike somewhere near there before we lost contact with this era three years ago to our era," Maxcien said to Ali.

"Era? What an era? And what a mi-mis-miss-s-le?" Ali blinked at the unknown words trying to say some of them

"Well, let's say I am from a time which is a era and came to this era, get what I mean?" Maxcien looked at Ali who shook her head, "Never mind! Just tell me where this great what ever is!"

"Never!"

"Tell me or you will never see your family again!" Maxcien shouted and Ali stood firm making Maxcien pull her gun out putting it to Ali's head,

"I will give you the count of three to tell me," Ali gulped a little but still kept quiet.

"One………TWO…………THREE!" On the final count, Maxcien fired a shot.

BANG!

The noise from the gun echoed through out the land for miles scaring everyone within that range. Ali slowly opened her eyes scared stiff seeing she was alive but saw smoke coming out the end of the thing Maxcien held. Ali suddenly felt a stinging on the top mid side of her nose. Looking at it slightly cross-eyed she was alarmed to see blood sipping out.

"OOOWWWW!" Ali screamed out in pain with tears falling from her eyes as the stinging turned into a huge pain. She bent her neck down and placed her left foot over the wound with the feeling of a warm burning coming from it.

"Next time it will not be a graze but one directly into your brain!" Maxcien said coldly to Ali who was still in tears.

"I… will ne-n-n-nev-never tell…" Ali sobbed with pain and fright. Maxcien knew this wasn't going to work and sighed.

"Look, stop your crying and let me take a look at it."

"No!" Ali said moving her head away, "You did it too me! I don't trust you!"

"Fine! You will live but that pain is going to be around for a time," Maxcien started to walk pulling on the rope making Ali follow her even with the pain on her snout, she kept quiet and followed Maxcien who was carrying four objects which held those weird things in it.

A little while later Ali's herd arrived at the location where Ali had been captured.

"This is where the sound came from," the Wise One said calmly looking over the area.

"How can you be so sure Wise One?" Ali's mother asked anxiously walking up beside her.

"I am just sure of it and if you smell the air you will smell something you know my child."

Ali's mother took a sniff and lowered her head to a small drops of semi-dry blood beside a pool of grey-muddy water.

"Ali… no!" Ali's mother gasped as a single thought leapt to mind as she raised her head looking at the Wise One.

"No, she's not dead. There was too little of a fight here, something has taken her but from the tracks, it looks as though they were taking her towards the Great Valley," the old longneck said as she studied the land close to the blood.

"I hope you're right Wise One. We need to get to the Great Valley and save my daughter!" Ali's mother said urgently and was about to follow the path.

"We will go to the Great Valley but going this way may take a day longer. Despite this, it will be safer for our herd to travel," the Wise One said starting to walk the route she pointed with her head. The rest followed with Ali's mother looking down the one that Ali went down with whatever had her.

"Ali… please be safe and unharmed," Ali's mother whispered and slowly followed the herd, "fourteen days… that's all you have to wait to see me again Ali. Just stay alive till then." She looked back and then forwards walking off with the herd on a fourteen-day travel which included in it sleep, food and water along the way. As the two travelled down the route which the longneck herd didn't take, two creatures, one small and one large, followed Maxcien and Ali keeping a distance from them waiting for the perfect chance to strike…


	17. Chapter 16: Tests of High Intelligence

**Chapter 16: Tests of High Intelligence **

In a time now running along side the era of the dinosaurs, without anything knowing about the new development over the dying land near the boiling lava, the Chrono Cannon was pulsing like it never had done before. Deep in the beautifully detailed building, connected to a large platform overhanging the lava, deep in the corridors in a dark room with only the light coming from a computer screen. A white-haired man typed madly on the keyboard, twisting knobs and flicking switches.

"Now, let's see the genetic merging on a sub-genetic simulation," Professor Helienson pushed enter on the keyboard and the screen showed two DNA strains starting to merge on the simulation with a percentage bar below it

"Almost half way, come on hold together…" Helienson pleaded as he stared at the screen with a wild glare. The merging strains suddenly froze and broke apart into millions of pieces giving way to a screen showing in massive red letters 'SIMULATION FAILURE CELLAR BREAK DOWN'. The Professor looked at the screen with anger as the letters flashed on and off the screen.

"Curse it!" Helienson hissed smashing his fist on the desk, "That test failure 2846…" Professor Helienson stood up and walked over to the water tank, opened the tap letting water fill the mug. He closed it again, walked back to the desk and placed the mug down with him staring at the flashing red words forcing him to throw his hands over his head.

"How can I get it to work… without the working I can't complete that task I was going to try on that boy three years ago." Helienson placed his hands down to pick up a frame and looked at the photo of a gold bracelet with three gems in it. A red, blue and green one. "I need those blasted gems…" he said not noticing Lieutenant Mathew by the door.

"Why those three gems sir?" Mathew asked making Helienson turn around in his chair staring at the Lieutenant. Professor Helienson stood up and walked over to the far end of the room flicking the light switch on lighting up the room. The place was filled with books on high shelves above the switch, only items like metal cabinets filled with files and a old oak desk with a hole where a ink well went. The entire surface was stacked with papers on the Chrono Cannon and sub-genetics. Helienson pulled out a damaged, red-covered notepad, placed his glasses over his eyes and started to look through it.

"Sir?" Mathew asked as he took a step into the room closing the door behind him looking over at the Professor.

"Quiet. I am looking for the answer to your question," Helienson said harshly looking at the Lieutenant and then looking back in the book scanning through the pages.

Helienson turned the pages over a few more times and then came to a stop.

"Ah! here it is," the Professor smirked at the page and turned it around letting Mathew see it, "This, Lieutenant, is why the gems are important." Mathew blinked looking at the writing with images of three chips.

"Those are Microchips, not gems sir," he said dumbly.

"They are Nanochips you idiot! They are inside the gems!"Helienson burst out in anger at the Lieutenant, "I had the government after me at the time so I had to hide the Nanochips somewhere and I placed them inside the gems of the bracelet. They contain the super program for my Chrono Cannon's final stage! Each one contains two gigabytes worth of programming each!" Professor Helienson started to boast now moving his hands and arms around in a way that showed he was very proud of the work he done in the past.

"Once I get that bracelet and place the gems in the Chrono Cannon, its final phase will be complete and the Cannon will be fully operational!" Helienson said with his arms spread out above his head as he laughed sinisterly. Mathew looked at the screen seeing the testing was a failure and, without the Professor's orders, he pushed a few keys and twisted the knobs a bit and flicking two of the five switches. Just as he pushed enter Helienson, stopped laughing and punched the Lieutenant in the head knocking him to the ground.

"Don't touch my work your idiot! Get out!" Mathew wiped his jaw and got up slowly walking to the door. As he grabbed the handle, a green flash caught Professor Helienson's eye and he looked at it in shock.

"Get back here!" Helienson said in a firm tone and Mathew obeyed. He was shocked to find that Helienson had grabbed his hand and was shaking it briskly.

"Well done Lieutenant Commander Mathew! You have solved the merging problem of dinosaur and human cells becoming one. As a reward, as of this moment, you have been promoted and you will be in charge of the guards around my lab and I'll call if I need you to come and help me on my sub-genetics," Helienson said with a big smile.

"Thank you sir! I am happy to help out," Mathew said backing away and then turning a bit fast slamming his nose in the closed door.

"I'm ok sir," he said holding his nose as he opened the door with his left hand walking out of the room shutting the door behind.

"He was able to solve my problem with genetics but he has be a klutz…" Helienson said slapping his head, "high intelligence has to pay a price for morons like him." He shook his head and returned to his computer to continue working on it a bit more. He began typing the codes down in a document so he could use them in the lab to make the merge for access by the time Lieutenant Maxcien brought the boy back.

Meanwhile, back in the Great Valley in an area near the short grassy meadows, Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike had just finished telling Wayne about their journey to the Land of Mists and how they saved Littlefoot's Grandpa with the Golden Night Flowers. Wayne took a thought at what they said about the Golden Night Flower and, taking out the journal and flipping the pages over, he came to a preserved flower pressed down by clear plastic wrapping.

"Does this flower look like the one you were talking about by any chance?" They all looked at the page that Wayne turned around to show them. They gasped in shock.

"It is! Oh yes, yes, yes!" Ducky verified merrily.

"That only grows in the Land of Mists! How did you get that?" Cera looked at him sorely.

"Well, I didn't get it. It is the person who wrote this journal who must have placed the flower in it," Wayne said turning it back around to read the synopsis next to the specimen.

"The gold flower was found in the deep regions of Wales near the Snowdonia mountains. It grows near a lake with many of the same flowers that only blooms at the touch of moonlight. Named the Golden Snowdonia Night Flower for it's golden pedals, which I found out on my hikes was named and found in 1934. Signed Jason O'Neil…" Wayne read out loud what was written in the journal.

"What? Why did that sound just like a boring story?" Cera asked in confusion.

"Yeah me confused," Petrie agreed a little more sincerely. Wayne looked at Petrie and then the others.

"Oh sorry… it was something that Jason O'Neil said," Wayne tried to explain about the book but they took it quickly like it was someone Wayne had met.

"Oh, I get it! Memories of meeting someone and you remembering what they said," Littlefoot sad coming up with a quick conclusion.

"Well not qui…"

"Yeah I bet so," Cera said cutting Wayne off in mid-speech. Wayne turned the book around and a piece of paper fell out onto the ground. Wayne, noticing it, picked up the paper that fell out and place the journal on a log beside him. He looked at the page and wondered what it was; he had read over the journal over and over again but he'd never seen this piece of paper before.

"April 21st, 2088. This is a quick journal of all…" Wayne mumbled and trailed off as he continued reading it in his head, 'I write this in as I have seen something which no one else would see in their lives. It was something that I would never believe could be true. It was huge. The screen linking to the South America Plains, a large fiery rock blowing up in the sky above the ground. The force knocked up a lot of rocks and dust which rose up passed the camera force me to lose contact with it and now a quake had started.

April 24th, 2088. It's been three days and can I see so much destruction but I take it that everything around the museum has been destroyed. Land now deep underground. There is only so much I can bare so I'm writing this to hide the truth of what really happened and to whom ever finds it to keep it a secret and not tell anyone about the Earthquake that destroyed the human civilisation and started the new one where food and equipment is more wealthy then money… my two date journal page is to the people who read it and will be true in keeping to my wishes…

Signed

Jason O'Neil'

Cera looked at Wayne who was looking at the piece of paper and then Littlefoot.

"Hey Littlefoot. I think your friend has lost his senses looking at that rattling thing in his hand," Cera said with some sarcastic tones.

"Maybe those weird things on the rattling thing means something to his kind that don't look like anything to us," Littlefoot shrugged.

"What about that backholder thing? Why do you call it that?" Cera pushed on with the questions. Littlefoot looked at Wayne's backpack which was a bit of a distance from Wayne.

"Well… it's something he puts on his back and has things that can come in and out," Littlefoot answered now wondering what was inside it apart from the two flat things that he had taken out of it and the clear object that stored water in it. Cera started walking over to it.

"Why don't we go and see what in it."

"But Wayne might not be happy with it, oh no, no, no," Ducky put her hands on top of her head not liking the idea.

"Well then I will do it," Cera snorted and walking over to the bag. Wayne didn't take much notice of her going over to the bag. He just kept staring at the paper feeling like the quake of 2088 has been answered and hit him in the stomach hard making him feeling winded. He placed his other hand over the bottom of it and pulled towards each other, tearing the paper in two then placing them together tearing it again and again. Wayne stood up with the tiny remains of the paper left he opened his hands up letting the wind catch the pieces sending them skywards. He gave a small smile as he watched the pieces vanish from view.


	18. Chapter 17: A Hottempered Confrontation

**Chapter 17: A Hot-tempered Confrontation**

It was afternoon over the Great Valley as it been three days since the arrival of the human boy, things seemed normal apart from two small details. Wayne and Cera still weren't seeing eye to eye as friends like Littlefoot had hoped for. Instead, both were at a point of turning their heads away from each other when ever they saw each other. It had all started off when Cera was caught nosing around in his backpack. When Wayne saw her he lashed out at her with such words that they had never heard before. His outburst was shocking as well as nasty. Both, after that, kept their distance and when ever they came close, when talking about ideas, both started to argue with each other once more neither of them backing down. Even though it was now the fourth day since Wayne's arrival to the Valley, Littlefoot sat on his own quietly over near the Thundering Falls watching Wayne talking and doing kid stuff trying to impress a nearby parent but the one he was talking to was even more surprised at first by seeing Wayne talking to the Lone Dinosaur but now it seemed a normal sight to see where he sat each afternoon. The weird sight took away the problems that were between Littlefoot's two friends that didn't get along with each other. Doc, a quiet type, stood in the water eating the leaves from the trees listening to everything Wayne was saying and even speaking back at some points. Littlefoot looked a bit further down towards the falls to see Cera with her dad. They were drinking some water seeming a lot calmer then before the last time Littlefoot had saw her. Last time, she was yelling at Wayne and Wayne was yelling back at Cera both with anger looks to their eyes. Littlefoot was still a little surprised how calmer they both seemed out of each other's sights. Littlefoot just wished to himself how he could get them to like one another when facing each other instead of conjuring up blood-boiling, enraged looks which gave Littlefoot a cold shiver down his back to the tip of his tail.

Littlefoot sighed looking to Wayne with Doc and then to Cera with her dad, both in a more relaxed way. Littlefoot closed his eyes with another sigh. He opened them again and dipped his head down to the water next to the shore he sat on for a drink.

"Is something troubling you dear?" Littlefoot's Grandma said looking over at him from not too far away. She and Grandpa were in the water close by eating their noon fill and both noticing the troubling look on Littlefoot's face.

"Huh?" Littlefoot looked at Grandma, "Oh Grandma I… erm…" Littlefoot looked back a bit thinking about how to tell them what ailed him. Grandpa looked over towards where Doc was with Wayne and then further up the river to where Mr Threehorn and Cera were then back to Littlefoot.

"You can tell us Littlefoot, we will not tell anyone if you don't want anyone else to know," Grandpa said to Littlefoot taking a tree star from the canopy of a tall tree and placing it down in front of Littlefoot. Littlefoot looked at the water droplets forming a pool in the middle and saw his reflection staring back at him. He then looked back up to Grandpa.

"Oh… ok. I tell ya Grandpa." Littlefoot sighed standing up, "It's kind of between my friends, Wayne and Cera… Cera looked in Wayne's backholder when he asked her not too and after that he went into his scary way, shouting at her. Cera yelled back and they haven't seen eye to eye as friends…" Littlefoot let out a deep breath, "I just don't know what to do Grandpa, Grandma. I want to see them like I see them now with each other being happy, being part of our gang, not fighting with each other because neither of them want to back down from the shouting…" Littlefoot gave a depressed sigh lying back down on the ground looking at the reflection off the water in the middle of the leaf beside him. Grandpa and Grandma walked up in front of Littlefoot lowering their heads down to him.

"Dear. It takes time to get a friendship to work between someone and another."

"Yes and there might be a way to do it. I have once learned it could be possible to get it done," Grandpa said after Grandma, Littlefoot looked at them both standing up on all four.

"What way Grandpa?" Littlefoot looked with interest hearing what they had to say.

Both looked at each other and then Littlefoot.

"Maybe if you and your friends did team games instead," Grandma said with Littlefoot looking at her a bit confused.

"Team games? What do you mean?"

Grandpa looked at Littlefoot and started to answer the question.

"One team game is where it like 'not it' but instead you have two or three on one side and the same to the other."

"Wow that sounds like a fun way! Could it work for a game like 'hide and seek' Grandpa?" Littlefoot stood up looking at the grandparents with interest of hearing about the team game.

"Well yes it can. I don't see why it can't work out," Grandpa remembered seeing Littlefoot's face turn to a smile of a idea coming up, "Why don't you go and play with your friends Littlefoot?"

"I will Grandpa!" Littlefoot started to run off to where Cera was, "Thanks for the great ideas for the new games!" Littlefoot called out as he got further away from them.

Ducky and Spike came up to where Wayne was with Doc. Wayne had just finished telling Doc about a few more things about the underground garden and what happened to it after he left it.

"Hi, hi, hi!" Ducky called out making Wayne jump a bit. He looked at Ducky with his face turning red a bit embarrassment.

"Hi Ducky did you…" Wayne chocked a bit on his words. Ducky giggled.

"I do not think all dinosaurs saw you talking and doing funny stuff in front of Doc," Wayne looked across the river seeing a few dinosaurs looking at him with either smirks on their faces or laughing a bit. Wayne sat down and buried his face in his jacket feeling like a complete fool as his body heat rose high with embarrassment. Doc lowered he's head down behind Wayne.

"Don't worry about a thing kid, it happens to everyone." Wayne lifted his face out of the jacket and looked at Doc.

"I guess so…" Wayne mumbled still feeling a bit embarrassed. Spike went up to Wayne and looked at him in the eyes with a smile. Ducky stood beside Spike.

"Spike does not see you as whatsawname thing, oh no, no, no." Ducky jumped on Spike, "He thinks you are a great friend, oh yes, yes, yes!" Wayne looked at Spike seeing that Ducky was right in a sense even though the words were sluggish.

"You know what?" Wayne said with them looking at him with unsure faces, "You are right Ducky." A smile came to both Spike and Ducky with her giggling a bit.

"Yep I see that little embarrassing scene is sorted," Doc said raising his head up and eating a few leaves off the tree above. Wayne looked up at Doc.

"I guess I'll catch you later," Wayne said and went off with Ducky and Spike.

"Usual time kid," Doc said as he swallows the leaves in his mouth watching Wayne go off with Ducky and Spike. Littlefoot, around the same time, arrived where Cera and her dad were. Littlefoot slid to a stop almost colliding into Cera.

"Whoa! What's the rush Littlefoot? You almost went right into me," Cera snapped and took a few steps back from Littlefoot. Cera's dad then turned to him with a spiteful glare.

"Well… answer her Littlefoot. Why are you in a rush?" Mr Threehorn walked up to Littlefoot.

"Well… err…" Littlefoot gulped a bit, "Grandpa told me some new types of games it sounded like fun so I came to see if Cera would like to try them out with the others," Littlefoot said calmly as possible to Mr Threehorn.

"Is one of the OTHERS include you know who?" Cera sharply said to Littlefoot.

"Yes…" Littlefoot said quietly "but as a great friend Cera, please could you two not shout at each other for a while, like the last few days?" Littlefoot asked Cera with a sweet voice.

"What did you say Littlefoot? Cera and that human shouting for ages at each time?" Mr Threehorn asked in a natural voice not in his usually anger tone. Cera lowered her head and Littlefoot looked at her.

"Cera?" Mr. Threehorn chanted menacingly.

"I… I didn't want you to know Daddy…" Cera said feeling a bit shamed for Wayne not backing down from a verbal confrontation.

"I would never believe it from one but from both of you…" Mr Threehorn went up to Cera with Littlefoot backing up a bit keeping out of the matter.

"Cera if you don't like him much it's best if you try to work it out with him. I don't like to say this but your friends are in the middle of it all and you should not let him break you all apart…" Mr Threehorn told Cera and walked off leaving Littlefoot and her alone, both looked at each other.

"Don't say a word!" Cera warned Littlefoot with a mean look.

Littlefoot took a gulp of air, "Erm… let's go get Petrie," Littlefoot said before running off.

"Hey wait for me!" Cera shouted running after him.

Petrie sat in his nest waiting for the others to come since he hadn't seen any of them since the start of the day. So, he came up with a thought of waiting for them instead of looking for them. He peeped out of the nest and saw, in the distance, in one direction Wayne, Ducky and Spike running up to the where Petrie was with Wayne just in front. In the other, Petrie saw Cera in front of Littlefoot running towards him as well.

They were getting closer and closer but knew Petrie knew what was coming next and he covered his eyes with his small fingers not wanting to watch them collide. Suddenly, a thud and crash was heard seconds apart from each other. Petrie uncovered his eyes and looked over the edge of the nest seeing Wayne and Cera getting off each other.

"Oh no! Me not going to like this…" Petrie yelped and looked at the others coming up to them.

"Watch where you're going!" Cera glared at Wayne ready to charge.

"You're the one who should have watched where YOU were going!" Wayne barked back giving her a cold glare and raising his fists.

"Please stop! Do not fight!" Ducky begged looking at them. Both took a look at her, then others, then each other. Wayne dropped his fists down and Cera stood in a natural position.

"Huh? Is it me or did I do something good?" Ducky wondered looking at them.

"I think you did Ducky," Littlefoot said looking at Wayne and Cera with Petrie above looking down at them. Spike stood on the other side of Ducky looking unsure. Petrie flew down to Littlefoot and looked at Wayne and Cera talking too quiet to be heard "What they saying?"

"No idea I can't hear them," Littlefoot replied.Ducky nodded to what Littlefoot said,

"I can not hear them either, oh no, no, no."

The talking between Wayne and Cera went on for a few more moments and then they both looked over at the others.

"Me and Wayne have agreed to a compromise; what ever that means. He says it where we go half way on something and we agree to each other saying things," Cera said to them. Wayne spoke next sitting down by the rocky slide below Petrie's home. "We both said sorry for the trouble we caused each other and decided to compromise on things where we will not go into a big one argument like last time, we will…" Wayne paused and looked at Cera, "Try to get along with each other as friends, but it will be an uphill process so to speak." Littlefoot and the others started to laugh; Wayne and Cera looked puzzled at why they were laughing then looked back at them. "Sorry…" Littlefoot said after calming down a bit, "we just saw a funny side to you two. If it wasn't for humans and dinosaur differences, I'd say you two were like brother and sister," Littlefoot blurted out without a thought of what he had just said.

"Say what!" Cera looked at him really confused, "He's from his time, how can you say something so crazy?"

"Crazy is a under statement. I'd say that was a nuttiest saying ever," Wayne said after crossing his arms. Neither him nor Cera looking pleased at what Littlefoot said. However, the reaction they got from this was more laughter.

"One fact, you all hardly know me, only about 3 full days," Wayne said pointing out and they calmed down from laughing, promptly taking note of that.

"Yeah good point, he could give a match at yelling at any one of us but it could be just a small surface of him we've seen," Cera said and Littlefoot looked at her a bit funny.

"Are you feeling ok Cera?"

"Of course! Why shouldn't I?" Cera glared at Littlefoot's comment.

"Ok ok sorry. It just that you said something that very likely to be true" Littlefoot said quickly.

"Err… thanks," Cera smiled feeling proud to have come up with something good for once.

"So Littlefoot. What about these team games?" she continued quickly.

"Oh right the new games. Grandpa told me that we can use our usual games like 'not it' and 'hide and seek' as team games," Littlefoot said walking in the middle of them as they listened to what he was saying.

"It's where we are in two groups then one group is not it and the other group is, the game goes on 'til all the 'not it' group is touched then it's the other group's turn." Littlefoot explained in one breath, "The other is where…"

"Let me guess. One group hides and the other finds until all is found then goes to the other group. Am I right?" Cera said butting in.

"Yes," Littlefoot said nodding and Cera gave a small grin.

"Oh that sounds like lots of fun! It does! It does!" Ducky chirped happily clapping and hopping from one foot to the other, doing a little dance.

"Me like sound of it, let's play now!" Petrie said doing a loop the loop in the air and landed on the ground with a happy look. Spike smiles and nods to the idea of a new game then returns to his eating of green food.

"So… what game should we pick then? 'Hide and seek' or 'Not it'?" Cera looked at them wondering what game that would be playing first.

"Me think we play whatever Littlefoot think we should play," Petrie said looking over at Littlefoot.

"Oh yes, yes, yes. I agree, I agree!" Ducky said looking at Littlefoot as well.

"Talk about leaving the choice on one's shoulders," Wayne mumbled quietly crossing his arms resting against the rocky side. Cera took a look at him once he finished what he said. In her mind, Wayne did have a point from what she barely heard but she kept it to herself.

"Me? Oh ok, well I kind like to try the 'not it' team game if that's ok with you guys?" Littlefoot quickly said to them with a nervous tone.

"Sounds fun to me!" Cera smirked.

"Me like it!" Petrie flew up above them and landed on Spike's back. Spike nodded to the decision, Ducky gave a nod and giggled before saying,

"Oh yes, yes, yes! That sounds like a good idea. Let us play not it team game!"

Everyone looked at Wayne who was the only one not to say anything. He just leaned up against the rocky side with his eyes closed. Wayne opened them and looked over at them "I'm in…"

The teams were soon picked and the game was quickly underway. The parents and grandparents watched over from a distance glad to see that the arguing between Wayne and Cera was finally over but they were all still in thoughts about how long the compromise was going to last, and what would happen if it breaks down between them.


	19. Chapter 18: Black and White DreamS

**Chapter 18: Black and White DreamS**

A pair of eyes opened slowly with its vision half blurred from waking all of a sudden. Soon, its vision started to clear after a few blinks and the sight from the eyes saw the usual ground around its sleeping area but only grey with no colour to the world. The grass, bushes and trees were all different shades of black and white.

"What happened to all the green grass and bushes?" The voice of Mr Threehorn shouted in disbelief. Mr Threehorn stood up looking at the sky; the clear sky that should be blue with white clouds but now it was as grey as the ground with a slight tint that make it barely distinguishable. The clouds were still white and so was the sun but a brighter white that Mr Threehorn couldn't look at for long. The water near by also had no colour as he stood up and looked at the river. He closed his eyes for a few seconds and opened them again, hoping it would all change back, but they all were still the same colour. Thinking it was him, he looked at his front leg, lifting its in front a bit, to see the blackish grey colour that his skin had always been. He still wasn't sure if it was his eyes playing up. So, Mr Threehorn walked over to the water and looked to see the colour blue that his eyes had always been showing it wasn't him at all.

Mr Threehorn saw no sign of anyone around. It was dead quiet with no wind, no sound and no crashing of the waterfall in view; only the sound of his breathing was audible. The strange landscape he was bound in was beginning to get to him now; it was starting to creep him out as he walked along the river looking around to find anyone in the now colourless Great Valley.

"This is preposterous! Where is everyone?" Mr Threehorn yelled out but it echoed around him. Hearing his echo showed that this place was empty as anything can be. "This is impossible… how can there be no green, blue and brown or anything and no sound from the Thundering Falls?" Mr Threehorn said to himself trying to work out struggling to believe that this was real. He then decided to try to eat something only to find that the leaves had no taste at all.

"This is disgusting! None of the leaves have any taste to them…" he mumbled spiting out the last bits of leaves from his mouth, "Grraaah!" Mr Threehorn stomped on the ground hard with frustration not understanding why everything had become all black and white. He walked on for about ten minutes looking around, trying to find another soul in the place, but as he thought, because of the echoes, there was no one else around but him and his voice which was too quiet for him and also seemed scary. Even though, Mr Threehorn didn't like it one bit, being scared of the quietness around him. He took one step further and stopped on hearing a sound that he never heard before. It was sweet and soft to listen to which made Mr Threehorn feel strangely relaxed for a moment. So relaxed that it seemed to be making him soft. That's when he shook his head feeling that that type of emotion was for wimps so feeling like that was not right for him. Mr Threehorn walked towards the source of the sound until he came to a place that was inside the Valley. Strangely, it was a place he had never seen before. It was a semi-circular cliff with water pouring over the edges and a large stone in the middle with some type of white and pink item on the top. The two bottom sides attached to either side on the front at the top of the white large part. The pink part on the top had brown on the very crown.Something then dawned on him. It looked very much like what he thought humans looked like but this one had longer, brown, fluffy stuff on the top going down its back.

"I demand to know who you are and what this place is at once!" Mr Threehorn bellowed staring at the creature with strong eyes. The creature turned around facing him.

"Welcome. I have been expecting you… do you like to be called by your name or just Mr Threehorn as much as all the others call you?" a feminine voice said calmly. Mr Threehorn was startled by what he heard. The thing had been waiting for him and sounded like she knew his own name.

"Mr Threehorn to you human!" he spat indignantly.

"I see you know this kind already as you should do." She stood up and walked across the water not breaking the surface with any footsteps, "I am a human yes but there is much more to me then meets the eye."

"What are you talking about? You're just a human with tricks!" Mr Threehorn grumbled at her looking at her with a hard look.

"I am what humans call an angel. Or as you would put it… a Guardian," she said sweetly. When she said that, Mr Threehorn's eyes went wide.

"You're… a-a-a Guardian of the Mysterious World?" he asked and she gave a nod in reply with a smile, "No! Impossible! They're all just stories!" Mr Threehorn stamped his front, right foot down trying to scare her.

"There is no need to get angry my friend. What is true is true. We are the Guardians of the Mysterious World and we seen all times up until 2100AD to the human calendar," she told him so ever calmly not deterred one bit by his angry outbursts.

"What is it that you can't not see further than that? If you're the so called Guardian of the Mysterious World, you all should be able to see all times in all places," Mr Threehorn said remembering the story and proving a point to her. His voice was a mix of harsh criticism and great mistrust in her presence. Guardian knew she had her work cut out for this one particular life form but she had to try with all her might to do so.

"We can not see beyond that time because of a force somewhere beyond that. The start of that time has made a barrier."

Mr Threehorn looked at her eyes closer to check to see that she was not lying about it but she could have been a pretty good liar that he couldn't tell one bit.

"What force? What…'barrier'?"

"It's what humans call temporal energy; it has the ability to alter time. We knew what it was up until about one hour ago in your world. It was altered and sealed from us from seeing the time after that point so all changes are unknown to us," Guardian explained carefully to Mr Threehorn in a way that he could understand.

Mr Threehorn walked by her looking at the water. Looking at it, he then turned around looking at her.

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"It's because you are the only one we found that will remember what happened here not like the first who forgot everything that happened here the last time," She spoke calmly walking right near him to the water's edge touching it. Mr. Threehorn watched in amazement as the water slowly regained its colour.

"Now you will return to awaking when the colour of this world gets to you so listen closely to what I have to say before this day dream ends."

"I'm listening," Mr Threehorn said looking at her as the colour started to move in a circle getting larger and larger every second.

"You will have a choice which could mean two changes that will take place. One is that you will say in the meeting about the boy, Wayne, that you will look after him which could mean a good or bad choice. It all depends on how you choose to treat him." Mr Threehorn was outraged by the first choice and saw she put a finger up waving it side to side telling him to keep quiet, "The second choice is to not say a word and let the boy Wayne go with Doc, otherwise known as the Lone Dinosaur. If this takes place, then it could be the end of all hope in itself or a small chance of it will be the right choice but very small indeed." She stepped backwards on the water to the stone in the middle looking at him with graceful eyes.

"One thing is to be known before you leave…" As she started to tell him the colour was passing him with everything slowly starting to fade.

"Wayne has had no family for nine years of his young life. He has been alone and treats others in a manner of his own choosing even to an adult… this… should… be taken… to… account… before you… decide……Pick… the… route…… the choice is… yours……" the words became fainter as everything faded from view.

He managed to get the whole message as the view turned to that of the meeting. Hearing Grandpa Longneck still talking and the reason for him sleeping during the day purely due to boredom listening to him talk, talk, talk about Wayne… that's when he thought quickly and listened closely this time to what Grandpa had to say to them all.

"I know he saved our Littlefoot, but he does not seem to be what I was expecting since he has been here I heard from others that he has so many mixed feelings. He must have been alone for a while for such a thing to happen," Grandpa said as Mr Threehorn remembered his daydream. Nine cold times had past since Wayne a family or a single adult to help him out.

"Well, it's his choice if he stays here or comes with me. Either way, it don't bother me," Doc spoke out to them. Mr Threehorn looked at them all talking about it with all of them, including Grandpa and Grandma, which was surprising maybe taking on such a challenge was too tough for them.

"I guess that means he will leave with me by tonight," Doc said finally.

"Wait a minute! I haven't spoken here. I have not said no or yes," Mr Threehorn said with everyone looking at him.

"Think you're up for the challenge friend?"

Mr Threehorn didn't like Doc's attitude or the way he looked at him.

"Yes I am since I've seen a side to him that no one else has seen."

"Which is that Threehorn?" Grandpa asked looking at Mr Threehorn.

"He has a short temper and lost it with Cera on the first day here. Knowing Cera, she didn't back down, nor did Wayne for that matter, so I can tell that he needs work on those emotions of his and I am going to do it," Mr Threehorn spoke out his words. None of the other dinosaurs fancied the idea having the human around but if it was for saving the Great Valley then it was worth it for Mr Threehorn to have the boy around making him feel like a hero in he's own mind.

"Just like that? You're going to look after him? If I was not mistaken, it was you who was so quick to get rid of him on the first day," Grandma stated.

"Yes just like that. I will do it, I will tell him and the children since I am agreeing to looking after the boy. I don't need an excuse!" Mr Threehorn said in a strong voice making his choice sound final.

"Alright I will agree to that" Ducky and Spike's Mum said with a nod.

"I will agree too since it is you who has the control over the human now," Petrie's Mum added. Doc looked at Mr Threehorn.

"Very well. Take care of the kid and send my thanks to him."

With that, Doc slowly walked away to the exit of the Great Valley he usually took and slowly, after that, the others departed from the meeting as well leaving Mr Threehorn on his own to think about the quick and fast choice he had just made. He knew that Wayne's temper would be somewhat of a handful from what Cera had told him with Littlefoot earlier that the day, which helped him get to know what he was dealing with, but his main concern was thinking about the dream with the thoughts about the end of the meeting. Just like that, it was clear in some parts but still he didn't understand the human words like "AD".

"What is AD anyway?" mumbled Mr Threehorn as he started to leave the meeting area making sense of what he was told as much as possible but keeping focus on the main task with Wayne and dealing with telling him and the others.


	20. Chapter 19: Crylisical?

**Chapter 19: Crylisical?**

The view looked over at the base, it had changed quite a bit from three years ago since the shut down of the Chrono Cannon when it overloaded. Now there was a giant platform half way over the river of lava being held up by large beams connected to the side of the cliff. The Cannon stood near the entrance to the platform with five pipes leading out of its base. Each pipe led into a larger one which travelled along to a large building that seemed to be built not too long ago. The large pipe led to it, entering one side of the wall and travelled down a shaft. The shaft was had just enough room for the pipe to go down as it connected to an even larger pipe that crawled across the ceiling of a large room filled with men and women in white coats who were either walking from one screen to the next or writing on notepads. With one large door below the large pipe leading out of this room and a large screen split into nine images of the cannon, the large platform bridging the river of lava led directly the invisible gateway to the dinosaur era at its end. Power levels were within green safety margins across the board, images of the main gates to the base, images of the narrow walkway behind the large door, images just outside the double doors of the main control room and images full of static not able to get a clear reading of the area all were shown on each of the monitor screens.

The room itself was round with the outer areas having computers, at least twelve of the white-coated men and women working on the computers on the outer area. The inner area was lower by around three feet with three large stations with large wide screens with about two to three men and women working on each of these three stations. In the centre stood a large glass dome with a blue rock over nine feet high with holes and marks all over it. Masses if wires were connected to the base of the rock which was covered in a large, metal, circular casing below the glass dome. Only two men stood at a control station on one side of the metal casing with a screen showing power levels, computer coding and bio readings. Guards stood at the main entrance of the control room and two heavier armed men stood guarding a keypad and hand scanner next to the large metal door. Lieutenant Commander Mathew walked through the main doors and headed for the centre of the control room. One of the men by the control station next to the power core walked up to Mathew with a pad under his right arm.

"Lieutenant Commander Mathew. Here is the report that Professor Helienson asked for," he stated handing him a notepad. Mathew took the pad from the man's hand looking at it quickly,

"Good work Janis, I will take it to him right away."

"Thank you sir, Professor Helienson is in there," Janis points to the large metal door. Mathew nodded and walked around the core, up the steps to the door stopping at it looking at the guards. One of them typed in the code and the other put his hand on the hand scanner. The door slid open.

"Professor Helienson has been waiting for you Lieutenant Commander so you may enter," one of the guards told Mathew. Mathew didn't say a word to them as he walked in and the door closed behind him with both guards returned to their posts with their guns back on the ground. They remained still and silent as the technicians talked, noise from typing and the humming noise from the power core.

As Lieutenant Commander Mathew watched the door shut, everything down the narrow hallway was dark but for every few seconds, a blue twinkling lit the hallway up. Mathew walked down the hallway looking at the walls. As each glisten happened, he saw pictures next to each other, side by side to another and another like a timeline of the Cannon's construction.

"What is it with the Chrono Cannon that Professor Helienson is so glad about? There must be a reason for having pictures and drawings on these walls of it being constructed…" Mathew said to himself stopping at some pictures for a better look through the pulsing blue light. Slowly he walked on back to where the Professor was supposed to be. Mathew walked closer and closer to the source of the pulsing light which was coming from down some steps. He walked down them where Mathew saw the large pipe with others on the ceiling leading down the stairs as well. He reached the last step and continued to walk on. He soon found a circular room and saw Helienson standing by a metal railing looking at a large crystal-like object with a large metal object containing another large, blue crystal with pipes coming down the walls of the outer walls under the metal wire frame platform into six points on the large metal object.

Professor Helienson looked past Mathew and just stared at the large, glowing crystal. He watched it so ever calmly as it shined with each pulsing light as the large spheres lit the room up. Mathew then turned and looked around with amazement. He looked to see a large chamber, which was a perfect sphere, with a large platform which he and Helienson stood on near the large structure in the middle.

Mathew took a step closer to Helienson.

"Professor Helienson I have…"

"Shh!" Helienson hissed putting a finger to his lips and waved him over to his position with the other hand. Mathew heard a faint noise coming from the crystal. As he got closer and closer to it, the humming was disappearing and reappearing with each dull flash of blue light that lit up the darkness.

"What type of crystal is that?" he asked curiously as he examined it. Helienson didn't turn to look at Mathew but said,

"It's the noise of time coming from within." Mathew cocked an eyebrow up wondering what Helienson is talking.

"Alright… err sir? Here is the report you wanted." Helienson put a hand out blindly and Mathew handed it over. The Professor had a look at the pad, turning over three pages and then handed it back to Mathew.

"Well Lieutenant Commander, everything is working at optimum efficiency."

"Professor? Can I ask a question?"

"Yes you may Lieutenant Commander" Professor replied back straight away looking back at the large crystal.

"What type of crystal is that? It's the largest and oddest one I've ever seen," Mathew said looking directly into crystal.

"Crylisical is the name of this formation and it's… well… not natural. It's a biological engineered product created by the technician in the Control Room. It took them the best part of three years to make it and that's why the Cannon is back in operation. Thanks to this crystal and the blue rock in the centre of the Control Room, everything is back on track," Professor Helienson told Lieutenant Commander Mathew looking over at him, "If you tell anyone about this chamber and the Crylisical, I will have your head," Helienson spat giving Mathew a deathly sharp glare.

"I promise, I will not tell a soul, sir!" Mathew saluted at Professor Helienson.

"You'd better keep to your word since this is the only true power source for my Chrono Cannon," Professor Helienson looked back at Crylisical watching it glowing, "You may leave…" Mathew nodded and walked away leaving Helienson alone looking calmly at the Crylisical. As the Lieutenant Commander departed the room, Professor Helienson just stared at it thinking how near he is from completing his life long task.

"Soon the Crylisical will be realised. The power from within and the final program is all I need to do so, just wait a little longer my friend, the time will come and saying that, time will be all mine to control." Professor Helienson spoke to the large flashing crystal. With a showing of a smile to his face, he pushed himself up from the railing and walked to a side, opposite the door. Grabbing a handle and pulling a secret compartment with three key points and three slots where some gems would fit in. Slowly, his hand went to the handle and pulled it up with lights coming on in the circular chamber with a large screen above the door showing an image of the Cannon and the platform over the lava river. A place which Helienson has named 'Fhemes Fire'.

"Soon, the real fun will begin," Helienson smirked staring at the screen.


	21. Chapter 20: Somewhat Surprised

**Chapter 20: Somewhat Surprised**

It had been a much more peaceful day than the last few days for once. Adults could hear the yelling and laughing of children nearby having so much fun. This was a good sign for all the dinosaurs in the Great Valley feeling reassured that the arguing is not going on like the days before. Now, they went about their daily business talking to each other, eating, having a cool relaxing soak in the waters or having a walk with others and enjoying the nice weather. The bright circle was starting to set at this time as the blue sky turned to a orange tan mixed with red as the sun lowered. The children were all on a hill with about three to five seed pods stood together a little further down it. Cera, Littlefoot, Ducky and Petrie were all sitting a bit back from where Wayne and Spike were. Littlefoot had told Wayne about a game that was similar to a game that Wayne had read about in a very old issue of a sports book once.

"Are you sure that Wayne's never played this game before?" Cera asked with a look of suspicion aimed over at Littlefoot.

"I think so, that what he said at least. He told me that he read whatever that word means about a game… something call 'bowling'?" Littlefoot said seeing Cera was facing him with an I'm-not-buying-it look, "I am not sure what 'bowling' is either but I think 'read' is something to do with those weird patterns on those flat things in the back holder," Littlefoot told Cera seeing the dumb expression on her face disappearing. She reverted her gaze back to Spike and Wayne.

"Well if that's so then why is he just as good as Spike?" Cera said keeping the score in her head, "they both have equal seed points and now they're on their last turn."

"Me thinked Spike will win at first but now me not so sure," Petrie confessed watching inquisitively to see what score Wayne was about get on his last rock throw.

"Oh yes, yes, yes. They are very good, they are, they are. I think it does not matter who wins, it is all fun!" Ducky said with a cheerful smile.

Wayne pulled his arm back and took a step back.

"I think he's had a unfair advantage over Spike since he pulls that arm back so much and swings it so it gives the rock more speed," Cera moaned as Wayne threw his arm forwards letting go of the rock. As he took a step forward with the rock rolling at the seeds, he managed to only knock two of the five seeds away.

"Damn!" Wayne cursed clicking his fingers. Everyone looked at him as he spun around. "What?" Wayne asked as he noticed them staring at him.

"What was that sound you made? That crackling noise with your hand?" Ducky questioned looking at him with wonder.

"Yeah, how did you do that?" Cera pushed the second one along before Wayne could answer the first.

"Oh that, all I do is put my middle finger pressing against my thumb then pull my finger inwards like so," Wayne explained to them and demonstrated at the same time. Again, the click sound came from his fingers.

"Me wanna try… oh me can't… me no have thumbs, but you could try Ducky!" Petrie said looking at Ducky.

"Oh yes, yes, yes! I will try it," Ducky said and tried to copy Wayne's actions as he demonstrated again. To her amazement, she managed to pull it off and a short, sharp snapping sound came from her fingers. "I dided it! I did I did!" Ducky cried triumphantly and did it again and again.

"Wow! Impressive Ducky! It's not possible for us to do that," Littlefoot said as he jumped up a bit, turning his front feet around a bit then quickly turning down to the ground landing on them. Everyone laughed a bit until Spike hummed loudly tapping his left, front foot with an impatient look wanting to take his turn. He was determined to beat Wayne's two seed point lead.

"Oh sorry Spike, take your turn," Wayne said waving him on. Spike smiled and turned away looking at the rock. Getting a good look at the seeds before hitting it, Spike knocked the rock with his head making it roll down hitting the last three seeds left standing.

"Spike wins!" Cera cheered running up to him. Wayne shrugged cocking his head to the left bit.

"Oh well… you win some… you lose some," Wayne said with a smirk walking over to his backpack.

Opening it up he brought out his last sandwich, "I guess a deal's a deal. Here you go Spike. Your prize for beating me." Wayne knelt down and Spike went over to him licking him on the face before taking the sandwich and eating it.

"Whoa! Hold it! Why did you give him that?" Cera cried at Wayne walking over to him.

"It was a little bet me and Spike made. He had a try of my sandwich, with lettuce, tomato and bread. He like it and gave me signs, pointing to the seed game of yours and the food. That's when I got the impression he wanted to bet. I proposed that if I lost, I have to give him a whole piece so I did," Wayne divulged to Cera. Littlefoot looked at the sky.

"I wonder why our parents haven't called us home yet," Littlefoot wondered looking back at the others who were surrounding Spike giving their cheers for him winning the game. Wayne looked at the sky, then Littlefoot.

"Maybe they just caught up with something." Littlefoot looked at Wayne carefully since he had seen the way Wayne snapped at the others lately. Littlefoot thought of Wayne being a hero and all saving his life was caring but he seemed to be very self-centred too. It was all too confusing for Littlefoot. He had never met a human until three days ago and it seemed that they had emotions so much like dinosaurs did but what was surprising was that Wayne was able to keep an argument going with Cera for hours on end both not backing down one tiny bit. It's like Wayne could be kind and gentle like Littlefoot's Grandpa then the next, every bit as rude as a Threehorn could be and argue like one too.

"Littlefoot?" Cera said but he didn't respond, "Littlefoot…" Cera said again but he still remained inert, "Littlefoot!" Cera shouted with Littlefoot jumping a bit looking over at Cera.

"Sorry I was thinking," he mumbled. Cera turned her head a bit to the right looking him in the eyes.

"Thinking? About what?"

"Oh… nothing important," Littlefoot replied walking over to Spike, "Nice game Spike. You always seem to beat everyone at this."

Cera was angry with Littlefoot for changing the subject but watching Spike lick Littlefoot on the face showing a pleased sign.

Cera was about to walk off when she saw her dad coming up to where they were.

"Hi Daddy…" Cera gulped, "Am I late for home?"

Mr Threehorn looked at his daughter and shook his head.

"No Cera. You're not late for coming home. I was coming to talk to you kids before you all go home for the night. That's why no one has called for you children to come home," Mr Threehorn said with the children gathering around him in a semi circle. All except Wayne who remained where he was standing not even moving towards him.

"That includes you!" Mr Threehorn barked looking over at Wayne. Wayne felt his heart give a horrible lurch as the scariest thing he'd seen in his life had just beckoned him to come forwards. Wayne took a deep breath before walking up to the point just behind the others.

"Wh-why?" Wayne managed to ask with a nervous tone behind his voice.

"I will get to that in a moment," Mr Threehorn said to Wayne. He then turned his eyes to the rest of the children.

"There has been a meeting going on about the human boy, Wayne. We've been talking long and thought hard about it when that longneck leaves."

"What! Doc's leaving?" Littlefoot said "When?"

"He has already left," Mr Threehorn replied. Wayne panicked slightly and as about to take the nerve to leave but he was promptly halted by a heavy bellow.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mr. Threehorn snapped. Wayne froze and slowly turned looking at Cera's dad.

"I-I-I was going to…" Mr Threehorn shook his head, "Look Wayne. He left because one of us adults is going to be staying with you until you find a way back to your own home," Mr Threehorn told all of them. Mr Threehorn stood strong to what he was going to say to them in a second.

"But who will look after Wayne Mr. Threehorn? Huh? Huh?" Ducky asked followed by Spike who had an expression of great wonder to who would take Wayne in.

"Me like to know too," Petrie said wondering just as much as Ducky and Spike were.

"I wonder who it is. I haven't seen anyone liking the idea of having Wayne around," Littlefoot quoted and Mr Threehorn looked at Littlefoot knowing he was, indeed, right. For a child, Littlefoot was sharp on the spot to the Great Valley dinosaurs.

"Who is it Daddy? Who will it be?" Cera asked taking a step forward asking ever so softly and calmly.

Silence came after their questions with no one saying a word. Wayne stood there wondering who would look after him. 'Why bother?' he thought since he had handled being on his own and coped fine for nine, long years. In a sense, not including the trade posts he found along the travels. Mr Threehorn finally spoke up.

"I did…"

With that, everyone hugged their mouths in shock including Wayne. He stared at Mr Threehorn not expecting that at all.

"Daddy! You're joking right?" Cera spoke once she was able to overcome her stunned silence.

"No Cera, I am not joking. If I was, I would be laughing and am I?" Mr Threehorn said to Cera who gave a shake of the head.

"Y-y-y-you?" Wayne said very nervous looking at the large triceratops with fear. He felt like he was going to pass out from the heat that was building up from the internal shock.

"If you don't like it… TOUGH! Now come on. Cera, time to go home," Mr Threehorn ordered. Cera, who had started to walk home, looked back at Wayne who remained motionless. From his frozen position, she could tell that Wayne was very fearful of her father and didn't want to be near him at all.

"That includes you Wayne… and stop being scared! I am not going to crush you," Mr Threehorn said rather angrily at Wayne who stopped looking at him then slowly walked behind Mr Threehorn as he started to make his way home. Wayne took a glance back at the others then turn back to look at Mr Threehorn who was just ahead keeping to a distance.

"All the dinosaurs in the world and it had to be the father of Cera…" Wayne mumbled to himself feeling rather sick. Littlefoot, Petrie, Ducky and Spike watched Wayne, Cera and Mr Threehorn disappear from view. They took a look at each other before they started to laugh seeing the funny side of Mr Threehorn. Out of all the dinosaurs in the Great Valley to keep an eye on Wayne, it had to have been him. As they stood there laughing, the calls they had been expecting a while ago quickly came. They all said their goodnights, once they had all calmed down from laughing, and headed to their homes for a good night sleep. As they made their ways home, they all wondered how Wayne would cope with being near Mr Threehorn tonight.

Night came quickly. The night circle was out with the stars showing in the clear night sky. The quietness was perfect for anyone to get asleep peacefully except one who was not even trying to go to sleep. Wayne paced backwards and forwards next to where Cera and her dad were sleeping. He had thought of leaving whilst they slept but that would have been a bad idea since, now, the whole Great Valley knows that Mr Threehorn was the one looking after him and putting a lot on his back. Wayne hated himself for thinking such disrespectful thoughts, but he couldn't stop the feeling of being really scared of Mr Threehorn. He kept walking back and forwards feeling like an idiot for being scared so much that he didn't want to even sleep at all. Mr Threehorn opened one eye and saw Wayne was pacing up and down; he stood up and walked up to Wayne. Wayne heard the hefty footsteps of Mr Threehorn from behind him, which sounded like a ton landing each time. Wayne looked at Mr Threehorn fearfully as he came to a stop which was far too close for him to be comfort.

"Why haven't you gone to sleep yet? You're going to be very tried when the bright circle comes up," Mr Threehorn said with some concern.

"I-I can't sleep…" Wayne complained.

"And why not?" Mr Threehorn asked probingly.

"I-I am sc-scared of you…" Wayne answered nervously. Mr Threehorn gave him a weird look.

"Humph! I know that since I yelled at you to do so three days ago!" Mr Threehorn said rather gruffly. Looking at him, he could tell that the tone of voice he was using was only scaring Wayne more and more, "I am not going to say sorry but I am not going to hurt you. I will give you my word, that's all I am doing kid."

Wayne still felt scared and it took quite a lot for him to be scared so much by one individual.

"I-I don't think this will work…" he sighed.

"It will if you give it a chance too you brat!" Mr Threehorn snapped at Wayne who was now becoming angry instead of fearing him.

"Don't call me that! You over grown horn head!" Wayne said rather rudely. Realising what he had just done, he threw his hands over his mouth backing away fearing the worst to come. As he stood poised to be charged at, he saw Mr Threehorn react in a way he never would have expected to see. He was laughing.

"Cera was right. You do have a flare of a temper and an uncontrollable rage inside which only comes when the slight offensive word that is said to you," Mr Threehorn chuckled. Wayne slowly lowered his hands away from his mouth and looked at Mr Threehorn dumbfounded.

"Very odd for a creature as small as you having such a talent to say the words with the right anger. Must have been created from all the loneliness you had, nine cold times if I am right." Wayne stared at Mr Threehorn even more dumbfounded than before. He wasn't sure why but after that laughing from the large triceratops, the fear had left and now he was left to wonder how did Mr Threehorn know Wayne was on his own for nine years long. He had no family but he knew that Doc wouldn't have told him since Doc made that promise not to tell.

"How did you know that? I never told anyone," Wayne asked slowly.

"Let's say, it came to me in a dream…"

Wayne felt a little more relaxed now that the fear and dread he felt before had melted away. He felt calm and completely unthreatened in just a shift of a moment. It was like the anger shell was removed from Mr Threehorn.

"Ok… I can believe that…" Wayne said quietly yawning a bit. He instinctively put a hand over his mouth.

Mr Threehorn just left it at that and walked back to where he was sleeping. Turning away from Wayne, forcing him to jump over the end of his tail, he prepared to settle down. Wayne watched Mr Threehorn lay down and then slowly close his eyes and going back to sleep. Wayne scratched his head wondering what in the world had just happened back there and why he was calm. It was like a spell had been cast upon him from nowhere. It was the weirdest thing that had ever happened; he had gone from being scared stiff of Mr Threehorn to being calm and totally confused at the way Mr Threehorn had reacted to his insult. That seemed to change the looks and points of view between Wayne and Mr Threehorn. Wayne sat down near to where he had placed his bag and laid down to rest his head on it. He stared at the night sky as his eyelid suddenly became very heavy. Slowly, his vision started turning dark as he closed his eyes and finally drifted off to sleep.


	22. Chapter 21: A and M

**Chapter 21: A and M**

Water droplets hung from the ceiling of a dull place dripping down to the floor below. Sharp stalactitesclung weakly to the roof ready to fall at any hard impact from in or outside this dark world. The darkness was suddenly pierced by a light moving around which moved slowly into the dark areas highlighting the darkened rocks, which had lain there for eras.

"W-w-wh-why do we have to take this way?" Ali stammered looking at the darkness around them but not in front.

"Because my boss wouldn't use one stupid missile to blow a landside up," Maxcien grumbled walking onwards and pulling Ali along taking some of her frustration on her tugging the rope once or twice too hard. Ali yelped a bit making Maxcien look back seeing she was hurting her. Responding to her painful squeal, Maxcien let some slack on the rope as she looked forwards. Walking onwards, Ali did not feel safe with Maxcien on the other end of her tether. She was constantly worried about how Maxcien was treating her; first hurting her and then Maxcien put some stuff inside a thin, pointy object and jabbed it into her, quickly replaced by a white patch on her snout.The strange liquid made her feel drowsy and the pain disappeared for a few hours and she was giving it to Ali every hour for the past four days since Ali had been Maxcien's prisoner.

Ali wanted to ask a question but gulped and quickly changed her mind when she caught the lieutenant's cold eyes locked onto her. Realising her mouth was hung open and no words were coming out of it, Ali promptly shut it again thinking a bit more. From what she had gathered from this one, Ali couldn't find an ounce of her that could trust the word "human". Seeing the constant heartlessness and cruelty in her eyes, she was beginning to think that all humans were all like Maxcien so asking the right question would be vital.

"Wh-why do you ca-call that one o-on that flat thing sir and boss and pro-prefestor?" Ali asked nervously. Maxcien came to a halt and turned around looking at Ali, shining the light from the torch in her face. Ali flinched and turned away from the blinding light in her eyes.

"It's 'PROFfessor'! Not prefestor! He's in charge and I do what he ask me to do…" Maxcien told Ali in a short speech before turning back and walking on with Ali walking again with her neck down; feeling a bit foolish. She felt very degraded from the way Maxcien spoke to her.

"Like a leader of a herd?" Ali questioned lifting her head up coming up with a conclusion. Maxcien didn't look back this time or stop and just walked on.

"Yes… you could say that… but that 'OLD MAN' has the rockets to spare and he will not help ME get to that damn valley as quick as possible…" Maxcien started to rant and rave again, "First he doesn't tell me where to go so I took a guess, then he gives me a land locator with the route to this 'Great Valley' place. Next, he didn't tell me about the large waterfall that we crossed a day ago and now he didn't tell me about that landslide and told me I have to find my own way around that blasted slide!" Maxcien said through clenched teeth feeling like a bomb had gone off inside her.

"Is that why you're so mad and pulling on that strong vine that you have me tied to my neck?" Ali questioned a little more with some shy comments and stuttering.

"Yes…" Maxcien stopped and let go of the rope putting her hand into a fist hitting a solid wall, "I… HATE… THAT… MAN… FOR… WHAT… HE… PUT… ME… THROUGH!" Maxcien yelled hitting her fist again and again after each word. Ali watched fearfully as Maxcien hit the wall again and again in a blinded rage making her hands bleed slightly. Ali felt sick and scared stepping a bit back and noticed no pull.

"What the?" Ali whispered, looking down and followed the rope to see it was no longer in Maxcien's hand but was next to the torch that Maxcien dropped on the floor. Ali was about to make a run for it but then, she stopped and looked back to the sound of crying. Seeing Maxcien had dropped all the bags and now sitting by the rocky wall with her head between her knees and hands on top. Ali slowly walked up to her hearing the sounds come louder seeing that it was Maxcien who had broken down and was sobbing.

"Ar-are you ok?" Ali asked sympathetically. Maxcien lifted her head and looked at Ali.

"What do you think… I am having a damn break down because that a hole of a man been playing games with me! Soon as I get that brat of a boy, I am going on a very long vacation!" Maxcien said with Ali seeing the same quick change of feelings in seconds. Maxcien stood up and was about to grab hold of the rope but stopped looking at Ali.

"Now I am confused. You had the perfect chance to escape… why didn't you?"

Ali looked down and moved her front left foot around on the claw tips on the dusty dirt.

"I saw you crying so I wanted to try to make you feel better."

Maxcien didn't bother getting hold of the rope seeing what else would happen.

"Well, I can handle it myself. I have breakdowns all the time, it's part of life. Well, you're still my hostage until I trade you for the boy."

"Why?" Ali sighed.

"I will give you one reason why… gems." Ali blinked at the words as Maxcien grabbed the rope and tied it up around a rock-like pillar nearby.

"What are gems?" she asked curiously. Maxcien rolled her eyes as she pulled out an empty bowl and stuffed a load of leaves into it from a tub of water and placed it in front of Ali before sitting back down.

"Well? Eat up and I will tell you," Maxcien snapped as she wiped another tear away. Ali gave a nod and started to eat the still very green treestars that was picked in the morning.

"Gems are what humans at one time classed as valuable and were worth a lot. But these gems are different to any other. There are three specific gems that hold small items in them which the Professor wants to complete he's Chrono Cannon's final program. So. I was given the job to get them and bring the boy back alive."

Ali swallowed and took a breath.

"Why do humans have all weird things with names? Like 'jeep'. That's what that thing was back there and others things like guns?"

"Simple. Humans have the brains to build this stuff and designed in nature to do so. We are the superior species of this planet but we have been killing each other for land, money and wealth. We were even to blinded by our own greed to see that we were killing our planet. So, the earthquake that killed almost the whole human race was payback for what we did to Mother Nature," Maxcien told Ali in a simplest detail.

Ali couldn't believe what she was hearing. Humans came from the same world but in a time that they were killing the world they lived in.

"You're monsters," Ali slipped and gulped when she noticed what she said.

"Well, the ones before the quake were. You see, there is a mix of humans. Ones that eat just greens like you do, ones that eat only meat and the ones that ate both greens and meat. The only meat-eating humans died with the many humans of all types a year after the quake. I and everyone else left of the human race are only green eaters, we live on the food we can grow from trees or the ground itself," Maxcien explained as well as she could.

"What! Humans eat meat?" Ali squealed looking at Maxcien with a twisted expression of gut-wrenching horror.

"Not any more. Like I said, before the quake, humans cooked meat from animals. But it's been eleven years since there was any human that ate meat," Maxcien stated to Ali making Ali feel a little safer but she still perfectly secure being near Maxcien. To Ali, she still seemed to be the most untrusting thing in the world.

Maxcien took a deep breath and locked eyes with Ali again.

"Now I want to ask you a few questions…" Maxcien started seeing the unease on Ali's face, "and it will be ok. I will not ask questions on the location on places." Ali felt a bit unsure but gave a nod.

"Good, so we agree to the terms. Now, let me throw the first question," Maxcien said drinking some water from a bottle and then putting the lid back on it, "What do you know about the world around you?"

Ali choked on her food, very surprised on hearing such a question from Maxcien. Ali coughed a few times before answering.

"Why do you want to know about what I know? You probably know more than me."

Maxcien flicked her right hand through her hair.

"I am asking since I don't know what you know. Where have you been? How old are you? and many other facts that you probably only know," Maxcien said firmly to Ali laying back against the rocky wall.

"Oh…" Ali said taking a little time to collect her thoughts together, "Well erm… I erm…"

"Oh come on, you can tell me something for once. I have told you about humans so it would only be fair if you told me something for a change," Maxcien said crossing her arms and tapping her foot. Ali could see Maxcien was waiting on a very short fuse, ready to go off if she refused. Ali didn't like to tell the untrusting human but she was left in a spot which wasn't looking good for her. Since Maxcien had pointed out, she did tell Ali about the humans and how they could be different to each other in a way. "Well, alright…" Ali gave in to the look that Maxcien was giving her. She was about to say something but the pale look that Maxcien had on her face now was not right. Ali thought about it and then asked instead of telling Maxcien something.

"How long have it been since you ate anything?"

Maxcien didn't say anything at first but having had it brought to her attention, she realised that she had not eaten anything since her food supplies ran out on day two and the hunger was slowly building inside as she felt really empty.

"Two days," Maxcien told Ali dismissively before looking away. Ali picked up the bowl with her mouth and walked over to Maxcien placing it in front of her.

"Here. Have what's left in your round thingy. You need it more than I do."

Maxcien looked at Ali not sure what to say.

"After what I put you through, you're giving me your food?"

Ali nodded still keeping in mind that Maxcien was her captor.

"Yes, you look ill and you need food."

"Thanks… but one thing before I do, try this," Maxcien said reaching for the patch and pulling it off with one pull.

"OW!" Ali yelped putting a front foot on the sore patch as she bent her neck. She touched it with her foot and found that it felt normal. She looked at it cross-eyed and found no scar from the bullet skimming her face.

"My face! It's all healed!" she gasped happily.

"Yes it is and that's one secret I wouldn't be telling to you about," Maxcien said taking hold of one of the leaves, "Here goes nothing…" Maxcien placed the leaf in her mouth and chewed it a bit before swallowing with closed eyes. She shivered from the taste that was a bit strong.

"I have to say, it's not one of the best tastes in the world," Maxcien gagged.

"You ate the yuck leaf, it always taste yucky," Ali giggled but flinched as Maxcien glared at her.

"Why didn't you tell me that in the first place?"

"You didn't ask…"

"Well I did in a fact!" Maxcien said tapping the side of her head twice.

Ali went quiet for a moment remembering that Maxcien did ask that question.

"OK, it is something that the leaf makes that makes it yucky. That's what the wise one says. She is the leader of our herd. She is very wise and the oldest of all of us. We have been to many places and this place we are in is one way we've been through before. I know some little things like that treestars are the best to eat if really hunger and that the Land of Mists is now no longer our route since we saw smoke flies."

Maxcien rolled her eyes before closing them for a moment to process Ali's information. Most of it was not of interest to her and already known, but the smoke flies instantly caught her attention.

"By any chance, did these 'smoke flies' shoot across the sky at high speeds?"

"Yes! How did you know?" Ali shouted and then asked.

"We call them missiles and they are from my era."

"WHAT?" Ali screamed taking a few steps away from Maxcien.

"Yes they are from the base I am from and…" Maxcien said before pulling on the rope forcing Ali closer until they were literally six inches apart, "if you don't tell me the quickest route there, I will just ask the professor to launch all the missiles he has on the Great Valley!" Maxcien threatened seeing that this was a chance to get there quicker then she wanted.

"No! You wouldn't do that…" Ali gasped with fear filling her whole body.

"You want to try that route?" Maxcien said with a smirk, which looked quite that evil.

Ali was in tears. She couldn't let her friends get killed because of Maxcien only after one thing.

"Alright. I will show you the way! Just don't do it!" Ali begged. Maxcien smirked taking another yuck leaf and eating it.

"Oh thank you," Maxcien said getting up, putting the gear away in the bags before picking them up and untying the rope, "Now lets move it! I have no more time to waste with such a creature like you!" Maxcien barked with Ali walking ahead leading the way.

Just in the fading light, Dil and Icky watched Ali and Maxcien walk away from them. They slowly followed close behind waiting for the chance to get to the prey they been following for four days.

"Dinner will be ours shortly," Icky said licking his beak with a wild glare.

"Yeah and we finally get something in our tummies for once," Dil mumbled dragging her body across the damp floor of the cave keeping her sights on them as much as possible. They came around the large wall to see Ali and Maxcien looking right at them.

"So that's who has been following us," Maxcien said with a gun aimed at the two of them.

"We need to run! They will get us!" Ali said shakily

"No need, they are no more," Maxcien said calmly and pulled the trigger. Ali closed her eyes waiting for the bang but it never came. Maxcien stood there in a pose with the trigger pulled and an uneasy smile.

"What happened?" Ali wondered. Maxcien took out the clip and tipped it as a silvery water ran out of it.

"Oh this is perfect! The bullets in the clip went like the jeep but the one I used was the only shot I had…" Maxcien mumbled.

"Now you're OUR meals!" Icky said dauntingly, "Sick 'em!" Dil roared charging at them. Maxcien threw her gun and bags to the floor.

"We need to run!" Ali said scared out of her mind. Maxcien pulled out her knife and cut the rope.

"Then you run! I will not let some breathing, handbag scare me away!"

Ali shook her head and ran from Maxcien but stopped looking back seeing Maxcien slashing her knife at Dil with Dil trying to bite her hand clean off.

"Watch out!"

Maxcien turned around to see Icky grab the knife out of her hand with his talons and flying up on to a ledge.

"You cheap, little… shoot!" Maxcien cursed at Icky.

"Oh we want you for a meal so I will do it like what ever you said," Icky hissed as he rubbed his wings together hungrily.


	23. Chapter 22: A Change of Heart

**Chapter 22: A Change of Heart**

Dil took a snap at Maxcien but fails to get her as she dodged around her large mouth. Maxcien took the chance to get on top of the large belly-dragger but Dil moved her body around with her tail coming to contact with Maxcien sending her flying backwards and landing on the ground sliding a bit before getting up.

"For a croc, it sure moves fast…" she puffed wiping a trickle of blood from her mouth.

"I am a Belly-dragger and I will make a meal out of you, right Icky?" Dil said with another roar walking towards Maxcien.

"Yeah get her Dil! And save me some!" Icky replied with intent watching Dil advancing on Maxcien.

"I will not go down that easy hand bag!" Maxcien spat looking around for anything of use to help her out. Ali climbed up some rocky ledges looking down there.

"Use your wits! Get out of there!" Ali shouted to Maxcien. Maxcien looked to the source of the voice.

"I told you to get…" Maxcien paused and look back at Dil, "Use your wits…" she repeated Ali's words quietly, "That's it! Thanks for that!" Maxcien looked at Ali then to the hungry belly-dragger before shouting, "Hold it a second!"

Dil stopped and looked at her confused seeing Maxcien had her hands out waving them a bit.

"Why should I?" Dil snapped. Maxcien saw it was working and started to unzip her army jacket.

"Well, I am no match for you and I like to have one last request," Maxcien said as she took off the jacket and threw it to the pile of bags.

"What request is that?" Icky asked landing on Dil's head watching the jacket coming off Maxcien, "You're taking your skin off?"

"Oh this? This is clothing, not attached to me. This is my real skin" Maxcien announced showing them her bare arms and hands as she finished removing some heavy objects from her trouser pockets and putting them with the rest. "That's it for the time being…I needed to lose the weight on my back. Now I will show you what I am made of 'Belly-Dragger'!" Maxcien whispered to herself before getting into a fighting stance.

"Dil kill her quick!" Icky ordered flying off her.

"Right Icky!" Dil charged at Maxcien once again.

Ali couldn't believe what she was witnessing. Maxcien let her free and was now fighting Dil and that was madness in Ali's mind. She watching fearfully as Dil got closer to Maxcien who hadn't moved an inch. Ali took a step back and her right back foot stepped into something wet. She looked back to see water seeping out of cracks in the wall. Ali put her head to the wall and heard the sound of water rushing on the other side. Ali looked up and saw a higher ledge away from the cracked wall there. Then it suddenly clicked in her mind.

"I know. If I make the water burst out of the cracks it will wash those two away!" Ali said with smile coming up with a great idea, "First, I need to get her stuff up on that," Ali said jumping down to the ground landing by some of the cut ropes. Quickly, she took the rope in her mouth and rushed to the bags. Meanwhile, Dil was now having a hard time getting a bite at Maxcien since she was doing cartwheels backwards and booting Dil on the underside of her jaw.

"Stop that!" Dil growled taking another bite at Maxcien who simply rolled to the left of the attack. Dil then grinned and swung her tail around as a follow-up attack. Maxcien saw this and quickly back somersaulted over it landing on the ground with a smirk.

"Oh come on! Is that the best you can do?" Maxcien joked but didn't see it coming back. Unable to dodge again, Dil's tail hit Maxcien and sent her into a wall.

"Ow! I should have seen that…" Maxcien wheezed as she stood up. Holding her chest, she looked at Dil who was gave a roar as she closed the gap on Maxcien.

Somehow, Ali had managed to get the bags onto the highest ledge and look back at her climb as she took a few breathers.

"That… was… hard… work…" Ali panted coughing a few times. Slowly getting to her feet, she looked down on the scene that had developed below.

"Maxcien! Get up here! Quickly!" she shouted to her. Maxcien didn't take a second to say anything but run at Dil. Dil opened her mouth about to bite but Maxcien was ready. She quickly jumped on one low rock to a higher one before jumping off that to land directly on top of Dil's large snout. From there, Maxcien charged along her back, jumped off, landed and rolled under Dil's tail before getting to where Ali was. Dil, completely disorientated, snapped and searched for Maxcien.

"Dil! Behind you!" Icky cawed flying down to her.

"I know! Shut up will you! I will get that creature!" Dil said turning around moving as fast as possible towards Maxcien. Ali waited and then jumped up off her front feet putting them on the cracked wall. Pushing on some of the loose rocks, she strained as it leaked more and more water. Maxcien stopped and looked at Ali.

"So this is your plan. Pretty damn clever," Maxcien said seeing water starting to burst out the cracks even more. Maxcien pulled Ali by the tail onto the higher ledge just in time as the water burst out, pouring down to the bottom. Dil and Icky saw the water coming at them.

"RUN!" they both shouted but it was too late. The water hit and sent both of them screaming down a cave tunnel where the water was rushing down. The water burst out of a hole in a cliff pouring down to a river below with Dil and Icky shooting out of it and splashing down at river below.

Ali looked at Maxcien who was holding her arm with some teeth marks on it.

"You're hurt!" Ali cried urgently looking at the injury on Maxcien's arm.

"I wasn't quick enough, but it's not life threatening so there nothing to worry about…" Maxcien sighed, "but I thank you for saving my life and… you're free to go…" Maxcien the announced looking away from Ali standing up. Ali stood up and looked at Maxcien getting a sense something was different now.

"Are you ok? You've got water in your eyes…" she said naively. Maxcien wiped her eyes. "Yes. I am fine. I am giving up my job working for the professor after this…"

"What made you change your mind so quickly?" Ali questioned.

"You… you are the reason for that and… oh sh…" Maxcien almost cursed remembering some details about Helienson's plan.

"What is it?" Ali asked slightly startled by Maxcien's shout. Maxcien looked very concerned.

"The Professor, he is no way near finished with this era. He's planning to make a double of his Chrono Cannon and placing it in this era in a area full of mist. But that's not the end of it, there's more," Maxcien said now feeling a sense of guilt working for such a man. Somehow, this feeling that had just hit, like it was waiting for the right time, had given her a sudden change of heart which was all too sudden and pointless arriving now. Ali watched the water level drop.

"Why does he want the boy you keeping talking about?"

"The boy's name is Wayne Longston. He is the son of a singer who died in the earthquake twelve years ago in my era. He has a bracelet that the Professor switched on the day before the quake which holds some type of program that he needs. So I was sent here to get him which I will do." Ali looked at Maxcien unsure what she was saying only getting bits and pieces.

"Why get him still?"

Maxcien picked up her jacket and put it back on.

"If I don't, the boss will kill me and destroy the Great Valley… so I have to take him back but with some loose ends," Maxcien said and looked at Ali, "I will make sure that me and him arrive a day's walk away from the base and the portal will remain open for ten minutes after so you can follow with many of your friends."

"What? Go to your time? But I am only a child! Why don't you get a adult to do it?" Ali backed away a bit, nearing the edge of the ledge. Maxcien picked up her gear putting them in the pockets.

"Since they are too big and loud, they will be noticed straight away, but don't worry. We have about a week left of travelling to do, during that time we will have a plan," Maxcien told Ali as she put on the bags and started climbing down the ledge, "Now come on Ali, we have a long walk ahead of us." Ali gave a nod, getting off the ledge as well. Both landed on the wet floor and walk on with Ali showing the most direct way to the Great Valley. Ali began to search her mind for the things that had scared her the most, and now, the human female Maxcien was that main thought. Maxcien was tricky all the way down but yet, at this point, she wasn't. Now, very true to the words she said. This didn't help Ali in anyway. She was totally bewildered how the humans act from feelings to those jumps and twists she saw Maxcien doing. Ali thought maybe she would find out on her travel with Maxcien to the Great Valley edging a plan.


	24. Chapter 23: Dull Sky, Dull Kind… Part 1

**Chapter 23: Dull Sky, Dull Kind… Part 1**

It was the first day of all days to change an atmosphere over the Great Valley, all the weird things that had happened over the space of the season had since past and things had almost gotten back to normal as the weather started to change for the new season. Still, from talks going on, one topic was the main subject of conversation. One life-form from an era which was unheard of. The majority of the talks also included discussions about Mr Threehorn taking in this one that was unknown. The tension would rise out of control at one point that they want to know more about this creature which was know as a human. It was morning but there was no Bright Circle rising over the Great Wall since there was a murky, grey clouds all over the sky. As the Valley gained light of day time but that didn't have any of the Dinosaurs waking up since the raises of the sun not hitting their faces. The usually alarms that they uses to did not appear like usually. A cold breeze started to blow. Cera felt it and woke up shivering.

"Where's the Bright Circle?" Cera chattered looking to the sky. She quickly got up and stared at the clouds.

"Behind the low line of clouds," a voice said from behind making Cera jump. She turned to see Wayne sitting with his legs crossed on a flat rock then he sneezed a bit. Cera looked closely at him and noticed that his nose was a bit red.

"What wrong with your nose? It's red."

"I have a cold… humans don't do too well with changing weather from warm to cold," Wayne sniffled rubbed his finger under his nose.

"I can see that, but why is the Bright Circle behind the clouds? And it is light?" Cera asked walking over to him, "And how long have you been awake for?" Cera pushed another question on top of the first two as she sat by the flat rock next to Wayne.

"The sun is still there but the clouds are just blocking it and it is light because the clouds are not that dense to stop all of it getting through," Wayne said looking at the sky, "Sometimes it rains a little with this type of cloud."

"Sky water? Little of it? This is a first."

Wayne looked at Cera before putting his hands over his nose sneezing again.

"It is… achoo!"

"Hey! Don't sneeze over me I don't want that cold of yours!"

"Sorry…" Wayne said taking a torn cloth from a pocket and blowing his nose before folding it up and putting it back.

"Eewww! Gross!" Cera cringed shying away.

"Would you prefer me to throw it on the ground?" Wayne asked putting his hand back in the pocket.

"No, no! Don't do that!" Cera flapped changing her mind promptly.

Meanwhile, Littlefoot woke up to the same cold breeze as he stood up yawning.

"Why do I feel so bad?" Littlefoot moaned and feeling another blast of cold wind, "Why is it so cold?" he moaned once more looking at the sky to see the overcast clouds. "Grandpa! The sky it all grey!"

Grandpa and Grandma woke up to the sound of Littlefoot's voice both taking a look up to the clouds.

"Well looks like we in for some cold, damp weather," Grandpa said looking at Grandma.

"Indeed we are dear," Grandma replied.

"Oh…" Littlefoot said listening to his grandparents. Grandma looked at Littlefoot "Oh my, Littlefoot you look poorly."

"You should stay with us today so we can keep an eye on you," Grandpa said with an equally concerned voice, "This changing weather must have happened overnight and must of affected you Littlefoot."

"Yeah I guess…" Littlefoot said with half-closed eyes looking down at the ground.

"Don't worry Littlefoot. This weather will go just as soon as it came," Grandpa said with a smile. Littlefoot giggled a bit as Grandma rubbed her head against him.

"Now let's go and get you something to eat. That will help clear this poorly state you're in," Grandma said as she and Grandpa got up and walked with Littlefoot close behind them wondering where they are taking him to.

Ducky, Spike and Petrie met up with Cera at her sleeping area also feeling the weather had affected them just as much. They all gathered together eating some green food.

"Where is Wayne Cera?" Ducky asked.

"Oh he said he was taking some stuff that will help clear his cold and I hope it does I don't want that cold of his…" Cera mumbled as she took a mouthful of leaves.

Spike hummed a bit as he gave a nod eating some food.

"Spike does not want a cold either nor do I. No, no, no," Ducky giggled a bit.

"What's so funny?" Cera said narrowing her eyes.

"I remember Petrie having it after long, sky water falling," Ducky said laughing still. Cera smiled as she remembered that as well both them laughed and Petrie did as well seeing the funny side of it. Spike didn't join in but looking at some bushes licking his lips before going over to it eating more leaves.

"Looks like someone's VERY hungry today," Cera said with some amusement in her voice at the 'VERY' part making everyone laugh again. Spike gives a smile back to them as he ate the leaves he had in his mouth.

Wayne sat by the river putting some water in a bottle before placing a pill in his mouth and drinking the water.

"Gulah! That tastes horrible… good thing I only have to take one of these" Wayne mumbled sniffing a bit, "the weather just as much like as I know it…"

"And that is?" a deep voice said from behind making Wayne jump to his feet swallowing some water down the wrong pipe. Wayne coughed hitting his chest a few times before burping.

"I think you just knocked ten years off my life…" Wayne spluttered taking another cough looking at Mr Threehorn.

"That's highly unlikely," Mr Threehorn mumbled, "Now, what were you saying about the weather?"

Wayne took a sniff and sat back down by the river.

"This type of weather happens most of the time in the UK. Well, the days before summer and such."

"UK? What is this UK place?" Mr Threehorn spoke unsurely about what Wayne said.

"It a very large island that use to be very lively before the quake. Well, that's what I was told since I can't remember much before the quake…" Wayne said putting a hand in the water waving the hand around in it.

"What do you remember about this earthshake you keep coming back to? I heard you say that a lot and now I want to know," Mr Threehorn said sharply to Wayne who was sniffing a bit more from the cold he had caught.

"It like a dream playing over since it happened… I see myself walking out of the back doors of the stage with my mum… then after a short time everything start shaking and that when it happens. A massive jolt with large areas of land bursting out of the ground and some of it falling. My mum died in it as I try to pull her up… I grabbed this…" Wayne pulled out the bracelet showing it to Mr Threehorn with tears in his eyes now, "She got hit by a falling brick on the back her last words was to me… 'I will always be… with you…' that when she fell down into the darkness. I never saw or heard her voice again all is left is my dreams and her bracelet." Wayne held the bracelet close to him with tear falling from his eyes and down his face. Mr Threehorn felt guilty asking the question but he kept a straight face.

"What about your father? Didn't you have one?"

"I don't know. I've never met or seen my father," Wayne said wiping the tears off his face putting the bracelet away.

"Now I see why you're like this. No family for a long time would do that to someone," he replied but Wayne didn't look at Mr Threehorn. He just stared at his reflection, Mr Threehorn grumbled in a bad mood seeing that Wayne had not responded so Mr Threehorn just walked off with a grumpy mood.

"Talk about being grumpy half the time," Wayne whispered to himself picking up the bottle and placing it in the box that he placed in the bag before getting up. Wayne took a few steps and then stopped with a look at the sky seeing that it was breaking up.

"So much for a cold spell. It looks like it was a high fog or something… maybe…" Wayne placed his bag on the ground and searched around in it. Pulling and pushing things around, he then came to what he wanted and pulled it out but only to see it was the book that he traded for.

"The Facts of All Life of the Planet Earth… I thought this was lost well, lost in my backpack that is," Wayne smiled sitting down opening it up, "Come to think of it I'd never even bothered reading this." Wayne opened the first page up starting of with A and then the words appeared on the page A in a box with the first animal on it.

"Talk about interactive…" he mumbled.

"Hey Wayne, what are you doing? Why are you not with the others?" a voice said. Wayne looked up from the H page of the book and he looked at Littlefoot who looked a bit unhealthy.

"Oh hi Littlefoot! What time of day is it?" Wayne said knowing he had totally lost track of time.

"The Bright Circle is at the highest point in the sky," Littlefoot replied. Wayne looked up to see a clear blue sky with white clouds moving across it.

"What is that in your hands? I saw you sitting here while I was with Grandpa and Grandma just staring at that weird thing," Littlefoot said walking around and sat beside Wayne looking at the opened part and seeing a bunch of weird marks all the way down it with a small image of a four legged creature.

"This? Oh it called a book and humans read it. Humans kind of have a second language. The symbols you see are called letters, each one is put in a order will make a word up like L-I-T-T-L-E-F-O-O-T which would spell 'Littlefoot'," Wayne told him as Wayne pushed the touch screen and waited for the next lot of info to come up.

Littlefoot blinked staring at Wayne.

"Those things said my name? In this letter thing? Wow! That is cool! What other letter thing you read in it?" Littlefoot beamed.

"Well, I've only been looking at what was interesting to me and I only skim read it…" Wayne paused seeing the next info. "Human Facts… I never knew the people that made this put information in about the human race?"

"Tell me, what does it say? I'd like to know what those letter things say, please I am ill and don't have nothing much to do." Wayne looked at Littlefoot for a few minutes thinking and then nodded.

"Yeah!" he finally agreed. Littlefoot smiled getting up and jumping off his front feet with some excitement.

"Why am I nothing like that at my age?" Wayne questioned himself, "It's like I grew up too fast inside to see any real fun." Littlefoot stopped hearing Wayne's words feeling a bit sorry for him.

"Why don't you relax and have fun with us and not keep questioning everything?" Littlefoot suggested sitting back down beside Wayne. Wayne looked back into the book feeling a bit sure that what Littlefoot said was a perfect thing to do. He needed to stop thinking of all the things he could do wrong and think about the things he could do right.

"You're right Littlefoot, I do need to relax a bit. So I will now start reading this… ready?" Littlefoot nodded and Wayne cleared his throat before he started.

Wayne started to read the information out loud so Littlefoot could understand what Wayne was reading.

"Published on the 29th of April 2078… The Facts About Humans. Humans, in the simplest terms, were destructive which counts to a worldwide damage to the world at 500 billion which increase every day. These accounts are as followed… Hunting and killing animals for their furs, cutting forests down for homes of the human population, polluting the atmosphere with chemical emissions such as carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides Wars which killed millions of humans and other creatures around and all but last greed for power and land and totally control over a large number of human life…" Wayne stopped at that with guilt and anger burning up from inside. "Good for that earthquake, good that happened, good that all these humans that give a bad name are dead… Dead to not do anymore damage, dead to let the ones in peace live on," Wayne said in a rough angry voice and shutting the book. Littlefoot gulped.

"Wayne, please calm down…" Littlefoot pleaded. Wayne sighed and put the book to the ground.

"I'm sorry for that… I never knew that the human race before that quake was so…"

"Destructive?" Littlefoot spoke a little higher in voice standing up, "I know you're not. You saved me from those smoke flies so don't let other humans put you down because of it." Wayne smiled.

"You're right I… ACHOO!" Wayne sneezed a bit too hard knocking the wind out of him. Littlefoot giggled a bit seeing Wayne land on his back

"Are you alright? That was a big sniffly you have there."

"Yeah I know… that makes two of us. Since I see you don't look to go yourself," Wayne said sitting up looking at Littlefoot putting his finger on the end of Littlefoot's snout and then away from it.

"Yeah, you're right. I do feel a bit down, but at least we still can talk," Littlefoot said walking over to the water's edge looking at his grandparents to let them know he close by, "my grandparents don't want me to go far today since I got this ill look."

Wayne kept inside the utter humiliation of being a human being. The thought that he was a part of this kind disgusted him very much. He would do anything to sever himself and to be not part of this kind, then being one that knowing the bad nature of the human race. Wayne didn't let it show in front of Littlefoot and kept his calm. "That is the best thing though."

"Yeah, you're right it is. Don't want any of our friends ill from what we caught even if it is a different sickness to what we have," Littlefoot turned his head to look at Wayne and then walking over to him.

"From the looks of things, the clouds are clearing a lot more now if I say so myself. It looks like we've got a clear and warm day ahead until the sun sets," Wayne said looking at the sky changing the subject. Littlefoot gave a look at the sky as well but didn't get what Wayne meant by that.

"What clouds? There only the white ones in the blue sky," Littlefoot said confused staring at the clouds around in the blue sky. Wayne looked to the ground with his eyes closed shaking his head.

"I forgot the clouds had already broken up," Wayne laughed a bit under his breath.

"Yeah I do that some times, all of us…" Littlefoot started but was interrupted by someone calling him. Turning his head to the direction of the calling, he saw his grandparents.

"Sorry for cutting short like that, I've got to go to my Grandpa. He's calling me, see you later!" Littlefoot gave a fast walk away from Wayne then went into a run leaving Wayne alone.

"There will be no later Littlefoot… this is the last time you will see this monster…" Wayne mumbled walking away from the river into some thick areas of trees leaving his backpack where he placed it with the book beside it. As Wayne walked away, the thoughts of the book that he read, all the facts circled in his mind. He felt betrayed from the inside out seeing that humans were like before the quake and how they were slowly taking the life away from the world. Blinded by the sickening facts, he had forgotten what he's mum had told him…


	25. Chapter 24: Dull Sky, Dull Kind… Part 2

**Chapter 24: Dull Sky, Dull Kind… Part 2**

Littlefoot stared at the water and looked over to where Wayne was earlier. He has noticed that he had disappeared but the backholder was still there. Littlefoot looked up at his grandparents.

"Grandpa?" he asked. Grandpa looked down on Littlefoot.

"Yes Littlefoot?" Grandpa said lowering his head, "What is it?"

"Could I… erm… go over and talk to Wayne? He's just over by those water plant," Littlefoot asked looking over to the area filled with water plants and trees in the background with a green patch of grass in between.

"I don't see why not," Grandpa replied with a smile.

"Just don't go far Littlefoot," Grandma added.

"I promise!" Littlefoot said breaking into a run towards the water plants around the embankment.

Littlefoot came up to the area and came to a dead stop seeing only the backholder there with the book Wayne read a while ago.

"Huh? Wayne? Are you there?" Littlefoot called as he walked slowly to the backholder looking around.

"Hey Littlefoot!" a voice said from behind. Littlefoot turned to see Cera, Ducky, Petrie and Spike coming up from the woodland close by.

"Hi Cera. Sorry about not showing up but I am a bit ill today," Littlefoot said moving over to them. Cera looked passed Littlefoot and noticed the backholder.

"That's odd. There's no Wayne but his backholder is there."

"Yep, yep, yep. That is odd, that is, that is," Ducky said jumping off Cera and walking over to it. She quickly noticed the book beside it and then opened it up.

"Oh looky! Little funny things appear on this flat thing," Ducky announced closing it and re-opening it again to see them reappear and disappear.

"This is fun! Yes it is," Ducky giggled.

"Hey don't touch it that! That's Wayne's! You know what he's like when we touch any of it…" Cera warned and looked around hearing no shouting from a distance.

"Maybe he not here. Maybe he walk from backholder and left it," Petrie said looking at the group, "Maybe…" he repeated giving a shrug.Spike took a sniff at the flat opened object and looked over to a different part of the woodland. Sniffing a bit more, he then turning to the others with a suggestive look and then started to walk towards it.

"Spike smelled something, he did," Ducky said running after Spike. Cera picked up the flat object in her mouth and placed it in the backholder. Littlefoot watched her even grabbed the belt part that held it shut and clicked it to another large bit closing it.

"Cera, what are you doing?" Littlefoot asked a bit confused as she placed one front leg in the loophole.

Cera looked at Littlefoot.

"Don't just stand there! Help me pull this thing onto my back so I can put my other foot through the other loophole." Cera barked. Littlefoot walked over to Cera and picked up the other loophole in his mouth. Carefully, he lifted the backholder over and onto Cera's back. Littlefoot helped her put her other foot in the other loophole and then backed away having a look.

"You look funny with that on your back Cera."

"So what if I do Littlefoot… do you know why Wayne left it here?"

Littlefoot pondered for a second. Thinking back, he remembered the little outrage Wayne had shown when reading the bad things about the humans.

"Yeah I think so… he read the funny looking bits on that. Only he could understand it and he read something called 'facts' on humans. I think he looked at all the bad things of humans…"

Cera narrowed her eyes. "Great. Now you go after Ducky and Spike with Petrie while I get my Dad," Cera said running off away from them to the plain, open area of grass and Littlefoot and Petrie ran in the direction of Ducky and Spike. For a short second, Littlefoot understood why Cera went off to get her dad. With what had gone on, if his guess was right, Wayne was going to do something that wasn't at all good in nature.

Cera ran to her father, finding him where she should have guessed he would be.

"Daddy!" Cera called out as she closed in on him but stumbled slightly with the backholder on her, "How much human stuff is in this? It's heavy," Cera mumbled as she came up to her dad. Mr Threehorn saw her coming up to him and noticing what was on her back.

"Cera, what are you doing with that backholder on your back?" Mr Threehorn asked turning around to face her. Cera panted catching her breath.

"Wayne… wasn't… anywhere near… his backholder… that's why I have it…" Cera wheezed managing to catch her breath finally and continued, "He was having a look at one of his flat objects and he know what funny bits on it say… Littlefoot told me that he read that what I think Wayne call it when talking about funny lines…"

"Get to the point Cera!" Mr Threehorn spoke strongly.

"Wayne read bad things about his kind before a large earthshake. Now, he's gone and no one can find him!" Cera told her dad. Mr Threehorn eyes widened a bit from something that was very odd to see. Something Cera had rarely seen.

"Daddy? Are you ok?" she asked slightly nervously. Mr Threehorn turned away and started into a run.

"Cera come! We have to find him!" he announced.

"Err right daddy," Cera replied unsure. She wondered why her dad was acting so weird as she ran to catch up with her father. He was already quite a distance ahead and he seemed to have a clue to where Wayne went. But that idea was gone as soon as Cera heard Ducky's voice. Knowing that Spike and Ducky were already on the right route.

"Daddy! Spike is smelling Wayne out!"

"I know Cera. You told me before that Spike can smell things," Mr Threehorn told Cera as they carried on running towards the source of the voice.

At a point near the Great Wall, Ducky and Spike looked up at a large pillar-like rock formation right next to the wall just about fifty metres away from it. Littlefoot came up to Ducky and Spike with Petrie perched on his back both panting.

"So… did… Spike… find… him?" Littlefoot asked between breaths.

"Yep, yep… yep" Ducky said slowly.

"Where is he?" Petrie asked with Littlefoot walking up to Ducky.

"Up there!" Ducky said pointing upwards. Littlefoot and Petrie looked up to see Wayne standing close to the edge of the top of the rocky pillar.

"How did he get up there?" Littlefoot gasped bewildered.

"Me did not know he can fly without wings," Petrie said in confusion.

"No, no, no. He took that to get up," Ducky said pointing to a path circling around the pillar.

"Huh? How did that get there? There was no land path there before," Littlefoot said startled to see the new path. He started to walk towards it and heard a voice from above saying a few words.

"Walk up that path… I'll jump" it said. Littlefoot backed away from the path a bit looking up.

"Wayne! What's the matter?" Littlefoot called up.

"None of your business so keep where you are!" Wayne hollered back then taking a few steps back moving out of sight.

"What wrong with him?" Petrie asked with both wings stretched.

"I do not know. He was acting like that when me and Spike first came," Ducky replied as she hopped off Spike, "He no wants us near him, oh no, no, no."

"Me fly up and…"

"No Petrie! Don't do that! We cannot get near him from land or air… he might do it," Littlefoot blurted interrupting him.

"What will happen to him if he does jump off it?" Ducky asked nervously sticking a finger in front of her beak just touching it.

"Err… have a guess. What happens to a creature with no wings that falls from that height…" Littlefoot said and Ducky thought for a moment and gasped looking at him fearfully hoping he didn't mean what she was thinking but Littlefoot slowly nodded.

"No! He not flyer he will go…" Petrie exclaimed.

"Petrie please…" Littlefoot interrupted Petrie again and silence fell between them as they stared up at the pillar hoping the worse would not happen. Littlefoot took a walk around the two-hundred foot wide pillar which got smaller the higher it went. The height of the pillar was almost half the height of the surrounding Great Wall which would be deathly for and wingless creature. The pillar's top, which Wayne was on, was about fifty feet wide with one large tree on it as well. Littlefoot came back to the others and shook his head with it lowered showing that there was no other way up without Wayne knowing any of them were trying to reach him.

Soon, they were joined by Mr Threehorn and Cera. Wanting to get straight to the point, Mr. Threehorn looked at Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie and Spike with the sternest of glares.

"Where is he?" Mr Threehorn asked straight to the children.

"Erm… he's up there," Littlefoot said looking up at the rocky large pillar. Cera gave a frown looking up it.

"Right Littlefoot. How did he get up there without flying huh?"

"He went up that, he did, he did!" Ducky announced pointed to the path. Both Cera and Mr Threehorn looking at the spiralling path going up and up around the pillar.

"This is impossible. How did this land path appear and be so smooth up round path?" Mr Threehorn gave a confusing question to that no one had an answer to.

"Me do not know," Petrie shrugged with the others looking at each other with blank expressions, "Maybe land change after smoke flies made loud noise."

"How stupid is that? None of them hit the Great Valley Petrie," Cera gave a narrowed look, "Plus the land is too smooth for those smoke flies to make," Cera stated and everyone gave a nod then a sigh.

"Children! Less talk and more action!" Mr Threehorn shouted taking a look up, "So why have none of you gone up to talk to him?"

"He said he would jump off if any of us go up it with him seeing us" Littlefoot said to Mr Threehorn and that's when Cera came up with a thought. Backing out of sight of the group and slipped around her dad.

"That's why we took no action sir," Littlefoot said.

"I see," Mr. Threehorn sighed.

"What do we do now?" Petrie asked after Mr Threehorn suddenly went quiet.

"I do not know, oh no, no, no," Ducky said putting her hands over her head and shook it side to side with Spike giving a unsure hum looking to the ground.

"Cera any ideas?" Littlefoot spoke but heard nothing in reply, "Cera?" Littlefoot took a look to where she was last but she wasn't there, "Huh? Where did she go?"

Mr Threehorn looked around but saw no trace of his daughter.

"Cera show your…" Mr Threehorn started and looked at the pillar and saw Cera half way up it, "What ar…"

"No Cera's dad! Do not do that! Wayne might hear you and he could find Cera and then he will jump. We do not want that, oh no, no, no," Ducky blurted at Mr Threehorn. Mr Threehorn took a hard look at Ducky for speaking over him, he growled a bit before taking a deep breath and exhaling heavily.

"You're right…" he grumbled and looked to the ground before looking up watching Cera.

"Wow Ducky! That was brave of you," Littlefoot smiled at Ducky.

"Yeah it was. Me would not do it," Petrie said with a smile of his own. Ducky giggled as Spike licked her.

"Oh yes, yes, yes. It was but I would not do it again, oh no, no, no," Ducky giggled a bit more and they watched Cera walking up the path getting higher and higher up. Cera slowly walked up the path going round and round the large pillar keeping as close to the side as possible. She had some trouble walking up since the weight from the backpack was now weighing her down. Cera took a look down looking at her dad and the others watching her but they refused to say a word to her. She was glad that they had gotten the idea and weren't speaking to her, including her father, because if they did Wayne might notice and do something not good at all.

After a few moments more, she arrived at the top of the pillar climbing on top of the flat ground seeing green grass on it with a large tree in the middle.

"Wayne?" Cera asked carefully looking around as she walked further to the centre.

"Let me guess… you came to talk me out of jumping," an unsettled and rather unpleasant voice came from behind the tree. Cera walked around the tree to see Wayne sitting by it with his head between his knees, hands on top of his head.

"What's the matter with you?" Cera said sharply walking up to him.

"Why should I bother?" Wayne lifted his head up looking at Cera putting his hands on his knees, "You just probably did all that new friendship as a act…" Wayne stood up turning away from Cera. Cera couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was like Wayne didn't have a care for anything any more.

"That where you're wrong!" Cera snapped walking next to Wayne turning around looking up at him with a strong look, "I might have when you first came but after what happened in a whole day, it's all different now! I will not let you hurt yourself because of some dumb fact about humans being all nasty before that giant earthshake!" Cera said in a boisterous voice walking forwards at him. In return, Wayne took the same number of steps backwards until he was against the tree.

"Now listen to me! Those facts are not you! I know that because you are who you are not what that thing says what humans are as a whole! You are an individual! And plus I think you are more like err…" Cera paused feeling like someone was putting something in her mouth stopping her from talking.

"What? More like what? Huh? Come on tell me," Wayne said putting his hands on his hips looking at Cera with a frown. Cera smirked seeing the way Wayne was acting again.

"Alright I will tell you. I think of you as a threehorn in a human skin…" Wayne's jaw dropped and he stared at her like someone just gave him something so shocking that he couldn't move or speak.

"And I am not just saying that! Ha!" Cera said and watched Wayne slide down the tree on his back until he was sitting down.

"Like mother… like son" Wayne said all too quietly with tears forming in his eyes.

Cera went right up to Wayne.

"What did you say?" Cera asked only catching a small part not hearing any of the words.

"I said… like mother like son… My mum had a very violate temper. I still remember it from after that last ever song she did. The person that was in charge of preparing the songs and stages for her got her angry and she just erm… flipped out and picked him up by the shirt yelling at him. I wasn't sure what it was at the time but I do now… I wished she were still alive though… I miss her a lot…" Wayne pulled out the bracelet looking at it.

"What happened to have her not around anymore?" Cera asked sitting beside Wayne looking at him not noticing the weight of the backpack on her for a moment.

"She died in the quake that wrecked the world," Wayne spoke quietly looking at Cera and continued to tell her, "It was after the music she had done. She was carrying me in her arms as we went home. But we didn't even get out the alley when it happened. The quake started with land bursting out the ground. She started to run with me still in her arms as she ran to the nearest place outside the buildings around us… that wasn't going to happen as well. The land started to fall deep into a dark underground as she ran from that land falling. It caught up with us and she threw me on to a safe part of the road. I went back to her as she fell a bit with me now holding onto her hand. A rock hit her in the back and she fell down into the darkness after telling me some words and I grabbing this bracelet…" Wayne said in tears at this point looking to the ground crying softly.

"She let you live because she wanted you to live. Don't let her down because of some stupid facts that doesn't even relate to you," Cera said firmly to Wayne with a smile. "How about we keep this to ourselves and stay here for a little longer."

"OK, I agree, but can I have my backpack back please?" Wayne asked.

"Huh?" Cera remembered about the backpack, "Oh! Your backholder! Sorry I forgot that I had it on," Cera said laughing with Wayne joining in. But as they sat there, the others below were waiting for any news on how Cera did to get Wayne to feel better. A darkness started to appear in the distance covering over the land at a fast rate…


	26. Chapter 25: Twenty Magic Minutes

**Chapter 25: Twenty Magic Minutes**

Some time before darkness fell over the land in the Dinosaur era, in the base in the human era, Professor Helienson was having a meeting in his main lab with all the technicians while the secondary team worked in the command centre in the large building next to the lab complex. A lot of talking was going on from the technicians sitting on unfolded chairs wondering why they all were called for this meeting. It had been the first time such a meeting had been called well after the Chrono Cannon construction was completed in 2091.

"Nine years without a meeting and now the Professor calls for one?" a technician, Grant Hecks, spoke up folding his arms and leaning back into his chair a bit more. One female technician named Alice Draken spoke next while looking at the paper on the wooden pad she held,

"It must be if he asked for all our reports for the last seven days."

"Well Miss Draken, I can't disagree with you there but the question still remains…why now?" Grant replied looking over at Alice, "When I last had a talk about the cannon's power levels working at a minimum, he seemed well… really up tight about the hold thing. If you ask me, something about the chronotanic energy has made it very high for the last few days." Alice gave a nod.

"Yes, I have noticed that as well. With the prime relays and matrix tripod links, it seem to be causing all types of effects which could lead to unknown and extreme danger alerts." Alice said looking through her reports, "and here is one thing I did notice. The Falionson relays, next to the chamber holding the rock in the middle of our command centre, seem to be on a high. But I never wondered what is that rock is made of to make such a large amount of energy…" Alice placed a finger on her chin pondering. Alan Draken, the third to join in on the talk about the rock, was Alice's twin brother.

"I am not sure but I reckon that that rock is not from Earth but from the…" Alan started.

"Deep regions of space…" Alice and Alan said together pointing a finger at each other.

"Well done, you solved the mystery already you two," Grant said clapping his hands, "that might be the case."

"But it doesn't solve the reason it has a large…" Alice began.

"…amount of power" Alan then finished putting their theory into practice.

Professor Helienson walked in on the part Alice and Alan had just said with Helienson giving a small grunt to get all twelve technicians attention as he stood by the main doors of the lab.

"Well done you two. No mystery escapes the grasp of your sharp minds easily and your theories are as strong as ever," Helienson said as he walked further into the lab and standing in front of all of them, "I see everyone is here, that is perfect. Good to see you all talking about the reason why you have all been called for. I will get to that in a few minutes." Helienson walked over to a table looking at his Static Sonic De-evolution Rod and placed both hands either side of the table and leaned in closer.

"My SSDE rod could have made a real mess of things three years ago, but at least next time, I will get that child," the Professor mumbled to himself with all the technicians looking over at him.

"Erm… sorry for asking sir…" Alan started.

"Isn't that your pride and joy. Your master invention?" Alice said after Alan.

"Why yes. It is one of my first after the Chrono Cannon was built. This can de-evolve cells to an earlier form which means I can turn a human back into an ape as they appeared around sixty-thousand years ago. But I also was testing it in new ways even though it has hardly been field-tested," Helienson went over to the robotic arm with the needle in it, "this is what I was going to use on the kid, it would have killed him at the time." All the technicians started talking to each other about the Professor's top inventions that had been remained unused in the lab for three years, sealed in air tight glass cases.

"Speaking freely sir… why are these so important?" Grant asked curiously.

"A good question, so I will tell you and all of you since all twelve of you are my best and trusted technicians. I am a master on sub-genetics and with the help of Lieutenant Commander Mathew, I was able to master the merging of human and dinosaur cells which means…" Professor Helienson paused looking at the technicians with a smirk.

"Which means…?" Alice repeated his last few words.

"You can de-evolve a human into…" Alan said but he didn't get a chance to finish what he was saying when Grant cut in.

"A dinosaur! But… wouldn't that be tampering with time? Sir?"

BANG

Everyone hit the deck after hearing the gunshot, all but Grant who was pissing himself in fright.

"What have I told you Grant about asking questions like that!" Professor Helienson said with the gun aimed between Grant's feet which had a smoking bullet hole where he had fired..

"Sor-s-s-s-sorry sir…." Grant said quivering as he backed up a bit before sitting down on the chair keeping quiet.

"What is our mission and what is our goal?" Helienson asked all the technicians.

"To gain the power of time, to have the power of the Mysterious World, to conquer all and command all!" All twelve technicians said at the same time like they had been practicing saying it over and over again.

"Good. We have that sorted out and now we can get on with the meeting. All sit. I have instructions for you all of which are very important," Helienson said to them as they took their seats. The Professor took his seat also looking at them all before clearing his throat.

"Now. I called you all here at this time in the morning because we're going to be testing the Chrono Cannon's power at near full power on a target. Since the overload three years ago, the system's been running at minimum power which has ended up sending Maxcien over a week's walk away from the place which Wayne Longston is projected to have reach."

"How do you know this boy is there sir? Could he have been killed in those missile attacks we sent to that nearby area to this place… erm…" Freak piped up looking at his papers, "Maxcien said sir that this place is called 'the Great Valley'."

"No, his alive. I know it for sure, I have activated my bouncer," he replied. Janny moved her hands in a sign language fashion and Alice spoke,

"Janny said 'The bouncer did detect the three nano-chips of the final program for our Chrono Cannon Professor, It would be possible that he is still very much alive.'" Janny communicated in more sign language and Alice spoke for her once more.

"She said 'I am gathering that we have placements all in the ready to start the testing. Plus, if you all look at page six, you will see our target. It is called the X-15. A spy satellite which has been floating around the Earth no longer in use for the last 15 years. It will be in range of the Cannon in about twenty minutes.'"

"Janny, I must say, you are the quietest and the most organized out of everyone, getting to the point of the meeting," Professor Helienson said flipping the page to the sixth one with everyone else doing the same looking at the picture of the X-15, "so this is the X-15… very impressive design I might say and a perfect target. So. is there any disagreements to powering up the Chrono Cannon to eighty percent and destroying this target?" Helienson asked looking around at them.

"Well, if I might say sir, we will need to start it right now without further delay. We need to power it up over the next fifteen minutes so it doesn't malfunction," Grant said standing up with the other technicians.

"Yes, we agree with him sir," Alice and Alan said in unison. Janny gave a thumbs up with a smile and Helienson stood up as well.

"Then all of you, get to your stations. We have eighteen minutes and three seconds before it's on target." With that, the meeting was adjourned and they moved out the lab and into the command centre to get ready. Helienson saw a letter flashing on his screen.

"Right on time…" he said walking over to the computer pushing a key looking at the screen with a smile, "Perfect and outstanding… it's almost ready…" Helienson spoke solemnly to himself as he pushed the delete key. As the message was erased, he strolled out of the lab shutting both door behind him.

Eighteen minutes passed and they were all psyching themselves up as the Chrono Cannon moved into position, charging up to eighty percent of it maximum power to ensure that it didn't go into another overload. The X-15 came closer and closer in range, which would put it in the path of the Chrono Cannon within a short time. In the command centre, the technicians were getting to their stations ready for the magic moment when the testing would finally begin. Alice and Alan kept an eye on the power readings of the cannon down to a minute detail, Grant was monitoring the Chronotanic readings, Janny with Professor Helienson looked at the large screen with the image fixed on the Chrono Cannon powering up to the eighty percent mark and moving into position. The rest were manning other stations and were monitoring any odd or unusual readings from the cannon and its target which it would be fired upon.

"Right team, we have one minute until the X-15 is in direct alignment with the cannon. We have one shot at this so no one messes up or you will answer to me. Do I make myself clear?" Helienson said to them all while looking around the command centre.

"Professor, I think we should keep an eye on the power coming from the rock in the middle. It's releasing some large amounts of unrecognisable energy to the Cannon's displacement array," Grant warned pointing to the readings on his screen.

"Very well, now the time is near and…" Helienson started but Alice interrupted him.

"25 seconds 'til X-15 is within range sir."

"Charging main displacement array and targeting…" Alan said after Alice, with both of them typing on the keypad looking at the targeting screen.

"This is it! No failures!" Helienson said looking at the screen but Janny communicates to him in sign language and Helienson looks at her, "I see what you mean, the images will be non-functional while the cannon's activated. So let's go outside." Helienson walked to the door with Janny.

"Right team, do your jobs. We will be outside watching the cannon's power in action." The two of them walk out of the command centre leaving the other technicians to do the jobs they have been assigned. Outside the command centre building, Helienson and Janny wander out into the open just in time to see the cannon about to fire.

"5,4,3,2,1…"

The Cannon fires with a rift opening in front of it. In space, the X-15 moves right in the path of the beam heading for it. The rift appeared and hit its target. The X-15, didn't blow up, but froze in position with the solar wings shattering a bit with pieces flying away from it. Soon, an odd glow started to form around it and it was getting larger and soon going back down the beam. Back in the Command Centre, Grant noticed something very odd. Instead of the power levels falling, it starting to increase at a very fast rate but the computer was showing a reading of the cannon at eighty percent power level.

"What the? This is impossible!" Grant gasped as he checked the system but it was no mistake, "Oh my god… I am getting a very high and powerful boost of energy into the crystal in the chamber and the cannon beam discharge… it-it-it growing in power!"

Alice, Alan and all the other technicians gathered around the screen watching the power level going up from 200,000 at first to 100 million and still climbing higher and higher.

"Oh my…" Alice started.

"…God this is…" Alan continued.

"…impossible it…"

"…looks like the X-15…"

"…is bottling up…"

"…the Chronotanic…"

"…discharges which is…"

"…making the rock throw more…"

"…energy into the Crystal and…"

"…making a large Chronotanic…"

"…build up within the area of the…"

"…X-15!"

Once both twins had finished what they were saying, Grant began shaking his head.

"It's hard for you two to be wrong. All you said is amazedly theorized the dimensions of Space and Time." Alan and Alice looked at each other with a smirk which quickly disappeared when they saw the power level rising to that of 10 billion and still increasing.

"At this rate, the crystal will be able to power up the whole planet for a million years…" Grant stated flabbergasted. A stunned silence filled the room as they watched the power level increasing at an exponential rate. In their excitement, everyone failed to notice the rock behind them in the centre glowing with a blue flame around its shell.

Outside, Helienson was wondering why the cannon beam was getting stronger after each passing second with all the soldiers watching a cloud-like disc forming around the tip of the cannon with lightning coming from the tip. Janny then noticed that the pulsing was getting faster and faster and she tapped Helienson on the arm. He turned to look at her.

"What's that Janny? The cannon… no you must…" Helienson didn't get to finish when a bright flash caught his eye. As he looked up, a huge amount of energy shot out of the cannon and burst through the rift heading to space directly at the X-15. As this happened, a burst of greater power caused Helienson and everyone else to be thrown off their feet with some men on the water towers being thrown over the railings holding on to them for dear life. As they all recovered they stared at the Chrono Cannon in disbelief as the huge column of electrical and Chronotanic matter flowed at high speed. Up in space, the discharge had grown to a point whereby the X-15 was now engulfed in huge amounts of temporal energy and was spreading out in all directions. It grew to a size of around 2000 miles in diameter before stopping. Soon, a new formation started to appear as a darkness started to form from below the Chronotanic temporal cloud and began growing in all directions turning daylight into night. Not knowing about the cloud's power, it started phasing a bit and was starting to pass into another timeline; this being none other than the dinosaur era. First, a few flashes appeared until the large cloud over 2000 miles in size appeared. Within seconds, the darkness seemed to double in thickness and started to appear in this era too, spreading out in all directions, turning day to night with its extraordinary power.

Helienson watched as the darkness started to approach his base in the human era. The thick blanket of blackness quickly took over as stars started showing in the inky sky. "What the hell is going on? This wasn't suppose to happen…" Helienson gasped looked up at the sky, "good thing the cannon will go back to minimum power within five minutes, this will end and the results can be examined. We have to find out why this happe…" Helienson paused looking at Janny and then to the soldiers. They all seemed to be focused on one point in the sky. Helienson took a look and dropped his notepad on the floor staring at it in shock. It was unbelievable to see it was unspeakable but it was right there before his very eyes.


	27. Chapter 26:Greater Light Within Darknes

**Chapter 26: A Greater Light Within the Darkness**

Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Mr Threehorn waited down below for any news from Cera who had been up with Wayne for about ten minutes but she hadn't come back down or called out anything. Littlefoot got a sense that things weren't as bad as they was a moment ago as he looked up he called out,

"Cera? Is everything OK?"

"Yeah! Everything is A-OK!" Cera called back from above with all the gang including Mr Threehorn sighing in relief. The children look at him.

"What? Can't an adult be relieved for a his child's safety as much as you kids?" Mr Threehorn looked at them one side to another with a frown.

"I guess so Mr Threehorn but it's that erm… we never seen you relieved about something special since you did openly say when he first came…" Littlefoot said but didn't get chance to finish when Mr Threehorn stamped a foot making the ground shake a bit.

"That's enough! I've had with this… I know what I said and things change when you have a dream that crazy…" Mr Threehorn said mumbling the last few words. He turned and started to walk away, "Tell Cera and Wayne to meet me at the nest…" Mr Threehorn told Littlefoot and the others before walking off into the distance but when he looked back he froze.

"What wrong with him?" Petrie asked looking at Mr Threehorn who was staring in their direction but not directly at them.

"I do not know," Ducky said scratching her head a bit.

"I don't think his looking at us. Maybe it's something else," Littlefoot said looking behind and then up a bit. As his eyes locked on to what Mr Threehorn had seen, his jaw dropped open. Similarly, Spike dropping the leaves he had in his mouth and was staring at the same thing. Ducky and Petrie looked and froze in shock and fright as well seeing the sky darkening at a rapid speed.

"Oh no, no, no! What happening to the day sky?" Ducky said holding her hands together looking at the sky all worried.

On top of the flat-topped spire, Wayne and Cera stared at the same thing with shock as it went right over them turning everything for a few seconds totally black. It then slowly faded into the colours of nighttime sky. Wayne finally found his voice and looked at Cera as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't ask me, I have no idea," Wayne said in an instant.

"How did you know I was going to ask that?" Cera barked at him.

"A lucky guess," Wayne replied with a small grin but it disappeared as he looked at the sky again, "this change to the sky, it's not natural… it been made by something," Wayne said as he stared at the stars.

"Hey whoa! You just said you didn't know!" Cera said taking a step towards him with an angry look across her face, "Now tell me why do you keep lying to me and the others? No buts!"

Wayne gulped a bit feeling like he had let a rock drop on his foot.

"Well you see… it's just that… I don't want to mess up anymore of this time by not telling you stuff about human things… like this sky change, it's being created by something… something human." Wayne went a bit silent at the last few words before he turned and looked at Cera, "I am a human, nothing can change that. Not even your words about me being a threehorn in a human skin… that's not possible nor realistic. I am ashamed to be human knowing the damages caused by my race… sorry…" Wayne started to walk to the path leading down the pillar.

"HOLD IT!" Cera hollered walking fast past him then looked at him. She stood right in front of him making Wayne stop in his tracks, "Look! Maybe when you came here at first, I thought of you as nothing but bad news but now that's all changed. I think of you what I think, not what you think of and what you are and well… I think Littlefoot had a point when he said that you are different, but your attitude is so much like mine!" Cera said rather strongly and straight-to-the-point. "I know you don't look like a threehorn and well… if there was a way it would be cool for you to actually be a Threehorn so we can get along perfectly and have no problems with the looks and this time that stands between us!" Wayne blinked a bit a little taken aback by Cera's words. She thought that him being a Threehorn would be cool…

'_Does she really think that much of me?'_ Wayne thought looking at Cera who was staring at the ground, "And I would too…" Wayne said weakly kneeling down to her.

"What did you say?" Cera asked looking at him.

"I said I would too," Wayne repeated with a growing grin.

"Told you so!" Cera said proudly. Wayne putting his arms around her hugging her. "Hey! Don't get soft on me!" Cera barked and Wayne let go.

"Whoa cool it! I'm sor…" Wayne didn't finish when Cera placed her left front foot on Wayne's right hand, Wayne stared at her unsure of what she was doing.

"What's wrong? You look shocked," she said to him.

"Well yes Cera… what is this that we doing here?" Wayne asked airily but Cera laughed.

"Duh! I think this means we're trusting each other as friends. Well, that's what my Daddy told me." Wayne smirked as they both looked at each other, fixed on their eyes for a few seconds. Suddenly, the mood was broken when Cera noticed something glowing in the sky.

"Wh-what is that?" Cera placed her foot back on the ground and went past Wayne looking at the sky.

Wayne followed her around but could hardly believe his eyes. What he saw was out of this world; it was so amazing to see and such a stunning sight to behold. A very large, bright cloud was floating in the sky but it didn't seemed to be in the sky from the way it was spread in all directions. It was huge and stunning colours flowed around spreading out and disappearing into the cloud's centre as bright as the sun itself which gave a light to the new darkness but only a bluish haze which made the atmosphere perfect to see this stunning beauty in full view. Littlefoot took a step forwards looking at the sky from below the pillar staring at the same thing with an open mouth unable to describe the magnificence of this new appearance in the sky. "I… I've never seen anything soooooo beautiful in my whole life…" Littlefoot spoke quietly walking up to Spike, Ducky and Petrie who was sitting on a hill watching the same thing with gave the light to the darkness.

"Me like the large cloud thing," Petrie said and Spike hummed in he usual ways of appeasement watching the overwhelming site which blew away all the wondrous sites the Great Valley had to offer.

"I do like it too but… I wonder Littlefoot. Could this cloud thingy make day sky change to night sky?" Ducky suggested looking over at Littlefoot as he lay down on the ground beside them. He took a look at Ducky then glanced back up at the sky.

"I think it doe… You're right Ducky!" Littlefoot announced as he stood up on his feet beaming away with shock, "this night sky only appeared when…" Littlefoot couldn't finish saying anything when the large cloud started to act funny. It starting to move more oddly at the bottom of it and lightning was clearly visible appearing around the cloud. Thunderclaps started to rumble at two second breaks from the lightning flashes. Littlefoot took a look up at the pillar and gulped at what he saw above it. "What's happened to the bright circle it's… it's on fire!" Littlefoot gasped flinching his neck back a bit in fear. It was not only him who was frightened, by now, chaos had started to take over the whole Great Valley as the residents watched and listened to the rumbles and flashes occurring in the sky. The sun literally did look like it was on fire and the panic was growing at every second that past.

At the same time in the human era, things weren't looking much better there either. The same thing was happening with the sky and the cloud was not letting up. Its mighty rumbling sounds of lightning pulsing around the 2000 mile cloud and Professor Helienson with Janny and Lieutenant Commander Mathew by the command centre building were watching everything and it wasn't looking too hot for the Chrono Cannon.

"What the blazes is going on?" Helienson shouted, "This wasn't suppose to happen! This Chronotanic cloud is wreaking havoc with all space and time!" Helienson held his head in frustration, near to the point of pulling out his white hair.

"Sir! The men and women in the foot divisions are in chaos. They're all running around trying to gather enough equipment to barricade themselves in the main barracks," Lieutenant Commander Mathew said with a panic-stricken mien.

Janny spoke in sign language and Helienson spoke for her.

"She is saying Lieutenant Commander: 'The Cannon will return to minimum power within thirty seconds and the cloud will disappear with all the natural balance returning to our planet so tell them all to stop panicking',"

"Right ma'am! I'll get right on it sir," Lieutenant Commander Mathew told both of them with a salute before running off to the barracks. Janny and Professor Helienson just looked at each other fearing the worst isn't over before thirty seconds are up.

As this strange phenomenon carried on in both times, a new threat started to appear over the skies directly below the large chronotanic discharge cloud. A thick, dense cloud started to form and spread outwards across the sky in all directions. From space, it could be seen that the discharge cloud had came into contact with the Earth's atmosphere and started to form a thick layered cloud which was spreading across the sky at a rate of 1000 miles per second which would mean that the whole planet would be covered in the cloud within fifteen seconds maximum.

As the cloud quickly spread over the sky, Helienson could only watch in awe as the arms of the cloud went over the base cutting the sky from the surface. In the same moment but in the dinosaur era, the Great Valley was suffering the same effect as the large thick arms of cloud started covering the sky, blocking it from view. It spread wider at blistering speed as everyone, in both eras of this one world, could only stand there and watch in shock and fear as the sky was stolen from all the life on the planet.

Alan and Alice began to count down the remaining fifteen seconds, watching the numbers go down until the cannon went back to its normal power. In doing so. it would reverse all the weird mixture of events in the space of five, crazed minutes.

"15"

"14"

"13"

"12"

"11"

"10" Alice said as her and Alan count down the time Helienson rushed to a speaker control box grabbing the microphone turning the main sound speakers on all over the base.

"Everyone! Hit the deck now! No questions! Just do it! Now!" Helienson barks into the microphone with his voice echoing right through the base. Responding immediately, all soldiers, scientist and technicians dropped flat onto the ground include Helienson as the final few seconds disappeared. The Chrono Cannon's hyper Chronotanic discharge beam disappeared with the cannon finally returning to normal. The cloud started to pull into itself and, from space, was getting smaller and smaller until it then disappeared like it wasn't even there, but the effects of this caused a large electrical discharge from the large thick clouds as they started to pull away reviving the sky as fast as it was covered. In its departure, lightning bursts at random places striking the ground in some places.

On the pillar in the Great Valley, Wayne noticed the retreating as ripples were barely shown in the thick clouds. He had a bad feeling about it looking at Cera who still had on his backpack. Fearing for their safety, Wayne quickly came up with a way to get down from the spire. Running up to the tree nearby, he pulled off a large piece of bark from its trunk. He then quickly turned to Cera.

"Cera! Quick! Jump on my back and wrap your legs around me," Wayne said urgently but Cera gave him a weird look.

"Why? What's the matter?" Cera asked with some confusion.

"Just do it!" Wayne barked at her and she just grunted looking away noticing the lightning strikes coming closer at fast speeds. Cera took a look at the tree then the lightning.

"AHHH! Hurry! Get going!" Cera barked back in fright giving enough jump leaping onto his back putting her front feet around his collarbone area.

"Gotcha!" Wayne said making a run to the start of the slope.

"What are you doing? Don't jump!" Cera said thinking of letting go but something about his words seem to be planned. Wayne threw the wood in front of him and jumped on it as it landed on the start of the slope.

"Hang on tight! This is going to be a real rush!" Wayne bellowed as he started to slide down the slope on the wood getting faster and faster.

"I'm holding! I'm holding!" Cera cried out keeping a tight lock around Wayne's neck. Wayne felt the pain from the tight lock but kept his focus on the slope in front making sure not to fly off the edge of the spiralling path.

Just a few miles away by a cave, Maxcien and Ali had just made their way out the maze of tunnels. They were coming to the exit of the cave but flashes could be seen outside.

"What's going on out there?" Ali said as she ran outside the cave looking at the thick-clouded sky. Maxcien threw her bags down running to Ali.

"Ali! Watch out!" Maxcien grabbed her and used her strength to pull Ali to the ground just as a set of lightning strikes hit a tree and rocks around them not far from their position. As they recovered, Ali stared at the burning tree and rocks with a startled look.

"Wow… you just… saved me!" Ali said shakily looking at Maxcien.

"That makes us equal now and…" Maxcien didn't finish what she was saying when a huge downpour of rain hit them both for a few seconds but the sun came out a split second afterwards. Maxcien spat some water out of her mouth moving some of her hair out of her face.

"That was unexpected!"

"Yeah, it was! I never saw weather like that before," Ali said shaking the water off her body. She watched as Maxcien twisted her jacket, ringing water out of it.

"That was a lot of sky-water for a few blinks!" Ali said looking at the blue sky with white clouds going by.

"Why don't we set-up camp here for the rest of the day? This seem to be the safest place at the moment," Maxcien looked around the area. Ali took a look and smiled widely.

"I know where we are!" she beamed jumping on a ledge looking around a bit more, "We're about three days walk from the Valley!"

"Beg your pardon?" Maxcien said looking at Ali, "You saying we just skipped a week's walk just coming out here by luck?"

"Yeah!" Ali exclaimed jumping down and going up to Maxcien, "That's with us resting the rest of today."

"I see…" Maxcien hummed placing a hand on her chin, "While we are resting today, we can make a plan at this point." Maxcien picked up the bags placing them by some rocks looking at the wet ground.

"Talk about crazy weather forecast," Maxcien mumbled as she set pile of wood to start a campfire up.

At the time of the lightning strikes touching ground in the Great Valley, the lightning strikes were just about to start hitting the area again and the herds were scattering in panic as the trees sparked and caught fire. The grandparents of Littlefoot were busy dodging a few collapsing trees. At the pillar, trouble increased as Wayne and Cera were only half way down when the lightning strikes hit with devastating power one after the other, crashing into the top of the pillar causing it to blow apart and crumble. Cera gasped as the rocks landing in front of their path. Wayne was concentrating as he slid down on the flat piece of wood.

"Left! No right! I mean left!" Cera cried out as Wayne moved around dodging the rocks.

"Hold tight! We're going for a leap of faith!" Wayne shouted just over the rumbling sound of rocks falling.

"What? No! You're…" Cera choked with wide eyes as she saw Wayne make a sharp turn towards a rocky ledge that flicked up at the end. With the sharp turn, they soon were going to hit the ramp.

"You're…crazy!" Cera screamed at the top of her lungs as they shot of it. Whilst airborne, a massive downpour of rain hit them. The next thing they noticed while heading upward slowing down a bit was the sun coming into full power like it wasn't affected by anything at all.

"Huh?" Cera said before they started to go down but Wayne lost the footing on the wood since it shot off further then him.

"AHHH!" both of them screamed out as they free-fell down to the trees crashing into them.

"Cera!" Mr Threehorn cried in horror seeing the pillar collapse into a thick cloud of dust. He ran to the location then stopped under some trees hearing some noises. "Huh?" Mr Threehorn said as he looked up to see Wayne and Cera hanging in vines upside down, "Cera!" Mr Threehorn said strongly, "What are you and Wayne doing up there?" Cera looked at Wayne and then at her father.

"Ask him! That was his idea to do this 'leap of faith' off the rocky slope half way up it still!" she snorted indignantly.

"Oh thanks a lot! Put it all on me why don't you!" Wayne mumbled with his arms crossed swaying a bit, "I did save us from that lightning and rock slide."

"And I thank you for saving my daughter," Mr Threehorn said and started to laugh.

Wayne and Cera stared at Mr Threehorn wondering why he was laughing then at each other.

"What's the matter with him?" Wayne asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" Cera replied swaying a bit as well.

Mr Threehorn stopped laughing still with a smirk on his face.

"How about you two getting out of those vines?"

"And how are we suppose to do that Daddy? We're tangled in it!" Cera grunted with her two front legs crossed over each other pressing against her chest.

"Me can do it!" Petrie called out from above them looking down at them but Wayne gave a nervous look downwards.

"Err… wait a second. There is nothing below that will soften our fall. We will break our necks hitting that ground from this high up!" Wayne told Petrie and Cera glared at him. Petrie looked at both of them.

"Err… me understand."

A gentle laughter came from behind Wayne and Cera from where they hanged both swinging a bit to turn around to see who it is. They both managed to turn but they got more tangled up which made it worse for them to move freely. The laughter came from Littlefoot's Grandpa who was standing there looking at them with Littlefoot below beside Grandpa's foot.

"Wow, you guys got really tangled in those vines," Littlefoot said looking up at them.

"Duh! Of course! It was his/her fault!" Wayne and Cera shouted in unison. They looked at each other before looking at Littefoot then each other again glaring at one another, "Don't copy what I say!" both said again at once.

"Me getting headache! They say same thing at same time it making me confused who saying what," Petrie held his head in confusion.

"Well, let's get you two kids down," Grandpa said bending his neck towards them putting his mouth over the vines biting into them. The vines snapped leaving Wayne and Cera hanging in their remains which Grandpa had a hold of in his mouth as he slowly placed them to the ground. Cera managed to get the backpack off and threw it in Wayne's arms just using her mouth.

"Oops!" Wayne gasped as he caught the bag falling on his back.

"Ha!" Cera said with a smile while going over to Wayne.

"What do you say to the longneck?" Mr Threehorn said to Wayne and Cera.

"Thanks," Wayne said sitting up looking at Littlefoot's Grandpa.

"Yeah thank you," Cera said as well looking up at him.

"No trouble at all children," the wise old longneck beamed before walking off to the nest.

"I'll catch you guys later, I'm going off with Grandpa to talk about that weird sky stuff," Littlefoot told Wayne and Cera before heading off after his Grandpa.

"Until I see you can both behave appropriately, you two will stay in my sight with the twins, now come!" Mr Threehorn said sternly starting to walk to the nest.

"What? But the weird things that happened in the sky wasn't our fault!" Wayne protested waving his arms a bit trying to get Mr Threehorn to look but all he got was,

"I said come!" Mr Threehorn said in a frightening voice making both Wayne and Cera gulp a bit before they followed him close behind.

"Great now we're grounded…" Cera mumbled walking slowly dragging her feet on the ground "And it's all that weird sky's fault!"

"It was all a bit of a weird weather that all, there was no harm done to us," Wayne said looking at Cera then forwards with one hand holding the bag by both straps and the other in his pocket.

"Hey! It's your fault!"

"What, mine? How is that then? Huh?" Wayne glanced at her rather annoyed.

"One reason. You made us fall into the tree, that's why!" Cera barked at him and he fell silent with no come-back. He could see why she was upset but he thought that it was the right choice to make. Somehow, saving their lives and being grounded by a grumpy threehorn seemed way better then going splat on the ground or being buried alive under tons of rock.

"How can you be so calm after all that has happened?" Wayne asked Cera curiously.

"That is because it's now in the past. It's gone and I don't want to bring it up and if you tell anyone that I was scared out of my mind up there, I will give you what for!" Cera said. Wayne promptly ran his fingers across is mouth as if to zip the shut.

"Good!" Cera said eyeing him peculiarly but vaguely understood as she started walking a bit faster.

"Hey wait up!" Wayne called after her placing the bag on his back and moved himself along catching up with Mr Threehorn and Cera as they went to the nest.

"Home… nest… not much of a differences I can see there…" Wayne whispered to himself keeping up with the two Threehorns as they heading for home.

One thought ran in Littlefoot's mind as he followed his Grandpa as he watched Wayne walking the opposite way to where Littlefoot was going. How could his hero have such a range of emotions? It made Wayne so unique to anyone else Littlefoot knew and the more he thought about it, the more he could see that everyone in the Great Valley was unique in their own special ways making them slightly different to one another in terms of emotions, attitude, appearance and many other things which made the world a wondrous place. Littlefoot's mind then came to think of someone who had to learn the same lesson as he has now.

"Ali…" Littlefoot spoke out with a soft smile, "She was right about the differences between everyone; they are all unique… special in their own way…" Grandpa didn't say anything while taking a glace at Littlefoot listening to the words that his grandson said. It made the old longneck smile seeing how much Littlefoot had learnt about the world around him with his friends. A past memory came to Grandpa while thinking about the unique things and carefully thought about the story time tonight coming up with a great story one that none of them would believe ever it was a… true story…


	28. Chapter 27: Night Blast

**Chapter 27: Night Blast**

The sun had just started to set over the Great Valley bring colour to the sky with the shine and heat slowly pulling away for the night air and sky to set into place. Just over to the area near the largest area of woodland, Wayne and Cera sat talking with nothing much else to do since Mr Threehorn had put his foot down and told them straight to stay at the nest. Cera walked back and forth stopping for a few moments looking over at her dad before starting again in front of Wayne.

"Grr! I can't believe this! We barely survived by the scales on the back of our necks and all Daddy did was grounded us!" Cera snorted outraged, "It's not fair!" Cera looked at Wayne who was fiddling with something that she couldn't see clearly.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?" Wayne looked at Cera.

"Sorry, I wasn't. I was finishing this off," Wayne trailed off focusing back on working on the thing which Cera couldn't quite see.

"What is it?" Cera asked walking up to Wayne.

"Hold on for one more second," Wayne replied and Cera stopped in her tracks with a raised eyebrow.

"Err right," Cera mumbled in a slightly confused tone curious to what he was doing. Wayne finished it off and looked at Cera.

"Close your eyes 'til I say open them," he told her playfully.

"What? No way! Let me see it," Cera protested trying to look but Wayne kept it out of her sight. He thrust a hand up in front of her face.

"No! You must close your eyes…" Wayne said and Cera gave a grunt. Cera took a deep breath of air and sighed.

"Oh…alright! I will do it," Cera closed her eyes waiting for the instruction to open them again. She felt something being put around her neck and as the fiddling finished, Wayne stood up and took a step back.

"OK…Now, open your eyes…"

Cera opened them and wondered what was it that he had done. Looking down a bit she noticed something swing a bit and gasped.

"Th-this is part of your mother's brace… what's it… why did you take that green thing out?" Cera said in a startled tone staring at him in half-disbelief.

"If it wasn't for you Cera, I would have jumped off the edge but your charms persuaded me not to do it. This is my way of showing how grateful I am. Thank you," Wayne said warmly pointing to the gem around Cera's neck, "It's also a sign of friendship; to show just how much of a great friend you are." Wayne knelt down looking at her green eyes with a smile.

"Wayne, I don't know what to say… I haven't been the greatest of friends though…" Cera said in a guilty tone lowering her head towards the ground and kicking a rock with one of her front feet. Wayne placed a hand on her head just above the eyes and Cera looking at him.

"No, it's not your fault. It's just the way you are and no one can change that. Not even me from far in the future." Wayne removed his hand and put it in his lap, "It's what makes you unique to everyone else… even your father."

"You can say that again," Cera said and both looked at Mr Threehorn who stopped eating some food noticing them staring at him. The next thing he noticed was Wayne and Cera, both on their backs, laughing hard.

"Kids…" Mr Threehorn mumbled shaking his head from side to side.

Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie and Spike all arrived at Cera's home shortly afterwards of their way back to their own nests for the night to see Cera and Wayne, but the scene they came to was one of Wayne and Cera in fits of laughter.

"Hello Wayne, hello Cera! We came to say hi, hi, hi!" Ducky spoke up first. Wayne and Cera looked over at them and rolled off their backs. Wayne stood up straight and Cera got up on all fours.

"What perfect timing," Wayne said with a happy look at Cera which made them started to laugh again.

"What funny?" Petrie asked with a perplexed look, "Why they laughing?"

"I do not know," Ducky shrugged, "maybe they are laughing at something before we came."

"That's probably the most likely thing Ducky," Littlefoot said bending his neck down to her before looking at Cera and Wayne again, "anyway we came to see you two since we know what your father is like." Wayne stopped laughing and glanced at Cera who had an unpleasant look on her face.

"What do you mean by 'your father'?" Cera questioned. Littlefoot noticed what he had said and fell silent.

"Oh Littlefoot mean your daddy Cera, not as you and Wayne," Petrie quickly jumped in. Cera looked at Ducky and felt a bit guilty.

"Oh sorry. It was just the way Littlefoot put that… made me and Wayne think that's what he meant."

"It's ok…" Littlefoot smiled. His eye then caught the gem hanging on some string around Cera's neck, "Hey Cera, where did you get that from and what is it?"

"Oh this? It's a shiny thing from his mother's brace-what's-it. He gave me it to me as a sign of our friendship," Cera said proudly showing it off. Wayne placed his hand in his pocket, pulled out another one and walked over to Littlefoot. Littlefoot flinched a bit as he felt Wayne fasten something around the bottom of his long neck and then feeling something softly rubbing against him. Wayne backed away and Littlefoot craned his neck a bit to get a better look at what was around his neck. He was shocked to find a blue gem hanging there.

"Wa-Way-Wayne?" Littlefoot said in a startled tone looking at Wayne not sure what to say next.

"Mine's Green and you give him a blue one. That suits him Wayne,"Cera said with a half smile watching Wayne place the last one around Spike's next which was yellow.

"Do I get one?" Ducky asked Wayne with a look of promising faith.

"You have that watch still don't you?" he promptly reminded her. Ducky took a thought and remembered the sticky thing that unstuck and stuck together.

"Oh I do! I am sorry, I forgot," Ducky said a little sheepishly.

"Don't worry, keep it! It's all yours," Wayne replied. Ducky jumped up and down clapping her hands.

"Oh thank you! Thank you thank you!" Ducky said with joy. Wayne took out the bracelet which was missing the gems from it and looked at Petrie flying just above them all.

"And I have this for you Petrie. It might be a bit big but hey; it's the thought that counts right?" Petrie landed on Wayne's right shoulder and Wayne handed it to him.

Petrie held up a bit looking at the gold texture on the bracelet and hugged it.

"Me like it! And it not heavy either," Petrie gave a cheerful hum swinging to and fro as he cuddled it.

Spike hummed with a happy tone looking into the watering hole seeing the yellow gem sparkly in the setting light of the sun.

"Thank you Wayne, this is a big surprise," Littlefoot said with a pride in his voice. Cera then nudged him with her side, "What?"

"Oh nothing. Just hearing the sound of being proud of being a friend to Wayne," Cera said with a smirk walking by Littlefoot to the water beside Spike looking at the Green gem.

"Wow! It is pretty," Cera chirped staring at the water's reflection of herself.

"Why give us these?" Petrie asked looking at the gold bracelet, "Me your friend even without shiny, light thing."

Wayne took a minute to think of an answer. Walking a little way up the hill until he was standing near the top, he turned around looking at them all, except Petrie who was still on his shoulder.

"You all, in your own ways, have given some trust to me who shouldn't be here in the time of physics and my thanks is a gift from me. Something that you all will be able to treasure for years and years." Wayne spoke with a calm voice but it he had a dangerous edge to his words.

"Whoa hold it!" Cera butted in catching on to something, "You're talking as if you're not gonna be around anymore. Are you trying to tell us that you are not going to stay?"

"I can only stay here for a time… I wish I could but a human doesn't belong in this world. I have to keep in mind that this is a time where dinosaurs reigned. Humans shouldn't even be around for another few million years!" Wayne said sadly walking down the hill past Cera. She turned as he strolled past without even glancing at her. Wayne knelt down and put a hand under Littlefoot's nose and lifted it up a bit for him to look Wayne in the eyes.

"When the time comes, I will leave to return to my own world but I will remember everyone of you as the greatest friends in the world," Wayne said as they all gathered around him, Littlefoot and Petrie, "If we remember each other and keep each other in our hearts, our friendship can never be broken," Wayne said moving his hand away putting on the soft ground, "Friends forever." Littlefoot gave a smile and placed one of his front feet on Wayne's hand gently replying,

"Friends forever."

Spike placed his foot on top of Littlefoot's, Ducky and Petrie did the same.

"Friends," Petrie said with a smile.

"We will also be. We will, we will," Ducky said with a tear in her eye. Cera took a few moments and said,

"This isn't fair… I don't want you to go ever… but… Friends forever!" Cera cried out placing her foot on top of the rest. Suddenly, a bright flash erupted knocking everyone to the ground. Mr Threehorn saw this and started to run to the children.

"Ow… what was that?" Cera mumbled as she stood up with Spike and Littlefoot. The gems began to hum and three wide beams of light came out of them forming an image in the middle of a large ball.

"Wayne…" Ducky said shaking in fear. Petrie flew to Wayne hiding behind him where he laid.

"W-w-w-w-w-w-what is…" Petrie trembled in fear. Spike shook with fear unable to move. Littlefoot stood there bewildered yet scared at the large ball that now floated in the air between him, Cera and Spike showing a mass of tiny zeros and ones that appearing from the top and going downwards in binary coding.

"Wayne? What is it?" Littlefoot asked in a shaky voice. Wayne stood up and slowly walked towards it.

"It's a holographic image of some type of coding," Wayne said rather calmly which made Cera annoyed at him seeing how unshaken he was.

"I knew that!" Cera said sharply.

"How did you Cera? Wayne never said anything thing like hol-holo-hologapic before," Ducky pointed out.

"Humph!" Cera grunted and was going to look away but something prevented her, "I… I can't move!" Cera said alarmed trying to move her legs. Littlefoot and Spike tried as well but even though they were trying with all their might to get free, they were completely immobilised.

"Wayne! We can't move!" Littlefoot cried out panic-stricken. Wayne took a look at them and the holo-ball.

"No wonder you can't. These three gems are in some type of alignment which is creating some sort of force," Wayne said with a unwavering voice running over to Cera and trying to pull her free only to have him slip and fall over losing his grip, "Ow that didn't work…" Wayne moaned rubbing his backside.

Suddenly the zeros and ones changed to a rotating image of the planet Earth.

"Earth…" Wayne said looking at the image walking over to it. Mr Threehorn arrived behind Cera.

"Cera! What's going on? What is this?" Cera's father demanded at once looking down at her.

"Wayne says it's some kind of holo-gaptic thing which he call an image of Earth but that's not important," Cera said not turning around facing her father.

"Other than you not looking at me?"

"No daddy! I can't! This alignment thing is stopping me, Littlefoot and Spike from moving," Cera cried out in a distressed voice. Wayne turned around putting am arm on the image and it changing into a view of the present day United Kingdom.

"The thingy! It changed," Ducky pointed out. Wayne looked at the image of the United Kingdom closely.

"Britain…" Wayne gasped looking at it.

"What is this Britain?" Mr Threehorn asked Wayne.

"It's the land which I was born. This is what I could call my homeland or what's left of it…"Wayne told them but he was quickly drawn to a specific point on the map, "hey! I know this point!" Wayne pointed to a location near the southeast of England and the image zoomed in on it with numbers starting to count down from ten.

"Err why are those funny things moving down?" Littlefoot asked looking at it and taking a step forward, "Hey! I can move!" Littlefoot beamed and Spike moved as well running to Ducky licking her with a happy hum.

"I am glad you can move too Spike," Ducky giggled. Cera turned around and went up to her dad nudging her head against his with a happy smile.

"Daddy I'm free!"

"That's good but I think Wayne doesn't look so happy," Mr Threehorn said staring at Wayne taking fearful steps away from the glowing image.

"Get out of here! We've got five seconds until something but I don't know what will happen!" Wayne shouted at them waving at them to get going.

"What about you?" Cera shouted back turning around to face Wayne.

"GO!" Wayne shouted but it was too late.

The numbers reached all zero and a ripple appeared below their feet moving faster and faster with more and more coming out of it. Soon it reached a limit of about hundred metres in all directions, a glow came from below them and all their feet started to lift off the ground.

"AHH! What gives? I can't touch the ground!" Cera said trying to move her legs so she land on the ground but only ended up kicking air around her. Even Mr Threehorn had trouble being far the largest. It was impossible for him to get his feet back on the ground.

"This is impossible! I'm no flyer! Nothing can make me fly like this!"

Petrie flapped his wings but he couldn't move from where he was floating

"Me can no fly! My wings not moving me!"

Spike did a few flips and bumped into Littlefoot.

"Ow! Watch it Spike! You went into me!" Littlefoot complained but his anger melted when her read the unhappy look on Spike's face, "I'm sorry. It's not your fault Spike. I can't move as much as you can," Littlefoot said doing a few tumbles, "I wish I can stop that; it's making me dizzy."

"I do not like this. It is scaring me. Oh no, no, no," Ducky whined managing to get a hand to Wayne and pull herself on his arm with her tail partly wrapped around it as well. Wayne looked at everyone and looked at the area around them as the view started to change.

"I don't know what going on but this is hell not right!" Wayne said looking at the view disappearing in a blaze of ripple after ripple.

Grandpa, Grandma, Ducky and Spike's mum and Petrie's mum were all waiting for their children to get back. They were talking about the day but they were interrupted by a blast that rang out. Looking to where the sound had come from, they faintly heard the cries of their children including a deep roar.

"Littlefoot!" the grandparents cried out making a move to the source of the blast and cries.

"Petrie! I'm coming!" Petrie's mum cawed taking off and flew to the area close behind Littlefoot's grandparents.

"Ducky! Spike!" Ducky's mum cried making a run to the area.

They all arrive to see a large column of ripples and behind it, the children with Mr Threehorn. Just as they all made a move towards it, the ripples totally blocked the view of the children and then disappeared with a silent blast of wind. They shielded their eyes and then looked back at the area to see nothing.

"Littlefoot!" Grandma gasped in shock walking over to the area. Grandpa was ahead and placed a foot on the ground where the children had been a second ago with Mr Threehorn. As his foot touched the ground, nothing happened.

"They just vanished… poor Littlefoot…" Grandpa said with a sad tone looking down, "He's gone…"

"Don't say that dear. Littlefoot is probably somewhere safe we have to keep our hopes up," Grandma said putting her head against Grandpa's head rubbing gently.

"You're right Grandma… but seeing Littlefoot disappear before your eyes I can't…" Grandpa said with tears forming in his eyes making it impossible to finish his sentence.

"Petrie's gone…" Petrie's mum said and looked at Ducky's mum.

"My Ducky and Spike are gone too…" Ducky's mum said in tears touching the ground with her hand. Petrie's mum wiped a tear away and looked at the others.

"We all have to stay strong and work together to get them back. Maybe will we find out where they went," she said nobly. The other adults gave a nod looking at the spot they watched their children disappear. Their silent thoughts filling the air as they hoped for the best for their children and their safe return…


	29. Chapter 28: Swiss Landing

**Chapter 28: Swiss Landing **

A whitish area with mixes of black flowed through the flat landscape with hardly a sound echoing around the area of unknown patterns. Soon, footsteps could be heard echoing with each landing on the ground with clank. A figure started to appear wearing a black jacket shimmering in the white light with his dirt-track jeans still dull in colour. The whitish muddy trainers hit the white floor making clank noises as each footstep hit the surface. He flicked his hand through his hair and looked around. "Hello."

"Hello," an echo replied. He could tell that there was nothing but him around, "this is perfect. I am in god knows where…" Wayne mumbled walking on but he stopped when he found himself surrounded by mirrors.

"What the hell?" Wayne spoke looking around seeing mirrors all around him. Wayne started to walk to an opening, turned right seeing a reflection which should of have been looking back at him but he stepped back startled at the image. The image was of something scaly, all black and standing on hind legs. It had a stretched out nose-like snout getting narrow at the end with a horn between the nostrils, the head was a bit wide and round with a fanned-out crest going backwards just over the back part of its neck and around one eye was a creamy looking scaly part. Moving down its body, Wayne followed the creamy part that was on the underside of the snout, chest and belly. He looked at its arms which looked angled a bit different than those of a human and seemed more suited for front legs and the ends proved that showing four clawed feet. Moving down its body further, its hind legs were quite a bit apart with a large tail poking in between them with four toed clawed rounded feet. The last startling thing Wayne noticed was that the creature was moving its main limbs, especially its arms and legs, in exactly the same way he was. Wayne took a closer look and gasped in shock taking a step away from the mirror with the creature doing the same. Wayne then smiled broadly.

"Cool a trick mirror! For second there I thought this was real and I was that Triceratops," Wayne beamed looking at his hands. He then began to see the creamy pink flesh he always had with a tint of brown on it. Wayne looked at the image moving his arms wildly laughing at the reflection copying him.

"This is so sweet," Wayne giggled a bit but stopped looking around, "but I have to get out of this maze of trick mirrors though." Wayne walked to the left hitting his face in one of the mirrors.

"OW!" Wayne said backing up rubbing his nose, "That smarts and not too clever," Wayne muttered as he touched the mirrors using them to guide himself around the maze.

After a little while, Wayne noticed something a bit off with his left hand feeling a bit odd as he moved on in the maze. Wayne began scratching as his skin burned and itched. Stopping for a moment, he slowly looked at it and gasped.

"Wh-what the HELL?" Wayne shouted in shock seeing blackish colour to the hand, Wayne felt it with his other hand that looked normal and he felt the contact of dry scaled skin.

"This can't be real! It can't be!" Wayne wailed as he started to run through the maze trying to get to an exit. By sheer luck he found it and ran out of the maze only coming to a stop at another mirror staring at it scared out of his mind. Wayne backed away but felt something wrong with his legs. He tripped over something behind him landing on his back feeling his back touching the cold surface. Wayne was in total fear feeling the contact to his back he slowly looked at his hands to find front legs and feet instead of his hands. Looking further down, he saw a tail moving between his back legs. Shaking in fear, he looked crossed eyes a bit and found a horn on the end of a snout he looked at the mirror and cried out with a mighty scream.

"Wayne! Snap out of it!" he heard a voice call, "WAYNE!" Wayne snapped his eyes open scrambling to his feet before landing on his face. Wayne looked at his hands to see his four fingers and thumb on each hand no black scales or four toed front feet.

"W-wh-what a nightmare… it was so real…" Wayne sighed trying to catch his breath and sweating a bit.

"Are you alright? You were screaming in your sleep," Ducky said coming in front of Wayne looking at him with concern.

"Yeah, I am fine. Just a nightmare," Wayne said half-lying to shake off any suspicion. Wayne looked around noticing nothing but darkness around where all of them sat. Littlefoot looked at Wayne in an unsure way.

"Are you sure? You look sorta funny…" he told him. Wayne placed a hand on his face and felt something on his nose and he looked into Littlefoot's eyes. He saw a threehorn face in the reflection and Wayne screaming in horror once more.

Wayne opened his eyes once again and sat up sharply. He took a glance around and saw Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, Cera, Spike and Mr Threehorn all laying on the ground sound asleep. Wayne pulled his bag in front of him and whipped out a hand held mirror from a side pocket. He examined the reflection fretfully but found his face and not a threehorn face.

"Thank God… a dream in a dream… worst case scenario," Wayne said putting the mirror away getting up on his feet looking around the area. Wayne gawked at the sight before his eyes. A large wheel stood in the distance covered in tons of vines that appeared to be supporting it from falling all the way. The land was covered in thick forest with grass and ferns all around but he stopped looking at a half remaining clock tower with a large bell in plain view since the top part was no longer there. It was covered in a thick, green blanket of fresh, healthy vines.

"Big Ben… after all this time the bell is still in its place…" Wayne paused and thought quickly, "Hold it a minute… Big Ben is there and that the Millennium eye well what left of it, which means I am in my era but south of that lava river and…" Wayne stared at his friends and Mr Threehorn, "Oh my God! Those gems must have used some type of teleporter on us sending us all to the time of humans… wait I am human… God! I've been in the Great Valley for four full days and I've already affected… oh never mind," Wayne spoke to himself getting in a muddle with his thoughts and words. Then, he heard shuffling behind him. Cera just barely waking up, soon remembered what happened and she stood up on all four looking around noticing the London Eye.

"What is that? And where are we?" Cera's first words were soon after waking up and staring at the area with wide eyes.

"London," Wayne said walking over to her, "we're in what once was the capital of the England but now, it just looks like a large forest with…" Wayne trailed off for a second looking at the cliffs, which seemed to be there for some time, "large rocky cliffs around some areas…" Wayne finished examining the land unsure about the amount of woodland that could have covered the city. It looked like something natural, or something helped nature, take control of this once large, concert city.

"From the sounds of your voice, you're not sure why this London looks like this. It's not as beautiful as the Great Valley but likable," Cera said not quite realising that she was no longer in her own era.

"Cera… I hate to say this but… we're no longer anywhere near the Great Valley. We're now in th…" Wayne couldn't finish off what he was saying when Littlefoot awoke from his sleep.

"Huh?" Littlefoot mumbled lying on his chest looking at Wayne, "It was a dream… Wow! It was so real, I thought I saw you as a Threehorn."

"Littlefoot, I was always a Threehorn. What are you talking about?" Cera asked with a rather cock-eyed look.

"No I don't mean you Cera," Littlefoot shook his head, "I mean Wayne. This dream I had, he was looking at me as a human then when I blinked, he was a threehorn screaming. That's when I woke up, just now."

"Riiiggghhhttt" Cera said with a sarcastic tone.

"It's true Cera! I did dream that!" Littlefoot said in defence getting up on his feet.

Before Wayne or Cera could say something, a loud moan made them all look around. Mr Threehorn, moaning again, slowly stood on his four feet and looked at Wayne, Cera and Littlefoot.

"I see you little ones are the first to wake…" Mr Threehorn mumbled looking around the area, "What is this place? This is not the Great Valley."

"Daddy, we are in London," Cera answered.

"London? What an odd name for such an unusual and beautiful place like this," Mr Threehorn replied looking at the land around them.

"Petrie! Get off my leg!" Ducky complained pushing Petrie off her as she fully woke.

"Me sorry! Me no know why me sleep," Petrie replied in an apologetic tone get up and stretching his wings. Spike was awake but eating some leaves before walking up to Ducky and licking her face.

"I am OK. I am glad you are too Spike, oh yes, yes, yes," Ducky hugged Spike on his snout.

"So Wayne, what was you saying about this London valley?" Cera said looking at him. Slowly everyone else looked at Wayne with their eyes fixed on him, he knew he had to tell them all, no lying.

"This is London. Once, this place was a city… a human city," Wayne said at first and that caught everyone's attention.

"Human?…" Cera gasped.

"…City?" Littlefoot finished off with both mouths gaping in surprise.

"Yes. We managed to travel through time to the era where humans exist," Wayne told them walking up to Littlefoot and Cera kneeling down, looking at both of them, "And it's my fault. I am the one to blame." Wayne lowered his eyes looking at the grassy ground. Littlefoot moved his tail until the tip was under Wayne's chin and he slowly lifted Wayne's head up so they were looking eye-to-eye.

"Wayne, you are not to blame. How were you supposed to know that those three gifts you gave me, Cera and Spike were going to do that and bring us here. Like you told me, you never really took those out of that jacket," Littlefoot said to him. Wayne pushed Littlefoot's tail down and put his hand on Littlefoot's head rubbing it a bit. "Thanks Littlefoot. That means a lot to me."

"Hey and it's no big deal. We're all still alive and we can find a way back right?" Cera spoke up taking a step forwards.

"There better be or there will be trouble!" Mr Threehorn grunted in a threatening tone.

Wayne looked at the large Triceratops still feeling a bit unsure.

"I guess there is but finding the place that can do it will be no easy task," he replied glumly.

"Well, well, well. This is a surprise. So this is where your little accident ended you all up too," a voice said from nearby. Littlefoot whirled around.

"Who's there?" he asked nervously.

"Speak up to your pals," the voice said and seemed to be talking to someone else.

"Li-Littlefoot?" a second, much weaker voice said. Littlefoot and the other perked up at the voice.

"ALI!" all of them shouted at the same time. They gasped as they saw Ali walk into view with a human holding a odd looking stick to Ali's head. They were about to go to her but Wayne threw a hand out stopping them in their tracks. They looked at him wondering why he had halted them but they knew that there was a good reason for Wayne to take such an action.


	30. Chapter 29: The Stand Off

**Chapter 29: The Stand Off**

Maxcien gazed upon the dinosaurs that stood in front of her as she held her gun to Ali's head. She didn't like this idea of doing things this way but it all caused problems within four days after the disappearance of Wayne and the Great Valley children. Having to use a new plan to bring Ali to the base was a carefully thought one and Maxcien even had her gun reloaded which didn't help in the plot which her and Ali came up with. She watched Wayne stop the dinosaur children from racing up to Ali knowing that he knew the gun was a force not to be reckon with. Maxcien did keep a close eye on the large, fully-grown Triceratops and remembering what the Professor asked for. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and remembered her objective. A mental image of Professor Helienson popped into view and said.

"Lieutenant Maxcien. I want you to get 10mls of blood from an adult Triceratops as well as retrieving Wayne Longston and the gems… you better not fail me in this task because I just freed them from that temporal tanaic loop. They landed somewhere in the area of London."

Maxcien remembered the instructions clearly and Ali was there to listen to that madman give her an order just two days ago. Two more days it took to finding the gang that seemed to just only woken up.

"What a mockly crew we have here. An adult Triceratops, a child Triceratops, a Brontosaurus, a Stegosaurus, a Saurolophus, a Pterodactyl and a human boy," Maxcien said each one of the dinosaur type names looking at each of them as she did so.

"A what?" Cera asked.

"Huh?" Littlefoot looked at Maxcien confused

"What is a Sauro-saura…?" Ducky stammered tilting her head a bit in confusion.

"Me what?" Petrie said next. Spike looked at Mr Threehorn with an unsure and confused face.

"Don't look at me, I haven't got the slightest clue what she said."

"Those are the types of dinosaurs you all are. It's the human words which are long and hard to…" Wayne began.

"Shut up!" Maxcien shouted pointing the gun at Wayne. Wayne put his hands up a bit talking a step backwards, "I shutted up!" Wayne said with a stutter.

"Now we're in business," Maxcien said putting the gun back at Ali's head. She then knelt down and whispered in Ali's ear, "Sorry for this, but I need this to be as believable as possible."

"It's OK Maxcien, I don't like this anymore than you do. The leader of your herd is so rude and strong in power over you," Ali whispered back not moving her mouth much making some of the words unclear to Maxcien.

"I want three things for this little princess so listen up," Maxcien spoke with a cocky voice staring down at the children with a unemotional look, "First is the gems, second is the boy and third 10mls of blood from you," Maxcien points her gun right at Mr Threehorn, "they are my terms to free this friend of yours." Mr Threehorn eyes widened a bit as he took a step back.

"Wh-wha-what? My blood? You're a sharptooth aren't you? You're not getting my blood!" Mr Threehorn growled but soon stopped in hearing the gun firing and a bullet hitting the ground near his front left foot. He stepped back overcome with a fear he had not experienced in a long time.

"Now, that's one way to scare the mighty beast to shutting their traps" Maxcien said blowing the end of the barrier before aiming back at Ali.

"Daddy?" Cera turned at her father seeing he was trembling with fear, "Da-daddy?" Cera repeated and her father looked at her with fear in his eyes which made Cera angry. She turned and looked at Maxcien.

"Y-y-y-you! Monster!" Cera shouted at Maxcien and about to charge at her.

"No Cera! Don't!" Mr. Threehorn bellowed. Cera looked at her father.

"But Daddy she…"

"I said don't…" her dad barely said still shaking with unbelievable fear, "She's not one to reason with. She will hurt us if we don't listen to her instructions…" Cera couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her father, the one that kept things together in a deep mood had broken down and shattered to a million pieces by a human with a weapon that can fire faster then blinking.

"Daddy what wrong with you? I never seen you so scared before…" Cera said going to her dad's side looking at him

"Oh stop your complaining already. This gun is new to him and you all and let see how you feel after this," Maxcien let off another shot hitting the ground near Cera.

Cera screamed moving back and hiding under her father.

"Stop it! You win! Don't harm them!" Wayne said waving his arms getting her attention. Mr Threehorn growled under his breath feeling helpless.

"Do it," Mr Threehorn said in a defeated tone.

"Now we're getting somewhere. With that, the stand off is now over," Maxcien walked over to Mr Threehorn putting a needle into his front leg and pulled back the plunger. Once she had obtain Mr Threehorn's 10mls of blood into the glass reservoir, Maxcien pulled the needle out and went back to Ali.

"You did it?" Mr Threehorn questioned looking at the clear container in Maxcien's hand that she filled with the 10mls of blood from the needle.

"That's it and that's one of three on my list. Now the gems. Boy! Get them and come to me," Maxcien ordered. Wayne did as she said not wanting his friends or Mr Threehorn to get hurt. Wayne took all the gems from around Littlefoot, Spike and Cera's necks.

"Sorry for getting you all in this mess…" Wayne said sadly, "I wish I could make this mistake all right…" Wayne slowly stood up with tears in his eyes.

"Wayne, it's not your fault. Like Littlefoot said you didn't know that they would do that," Cera told him. She placed a foot in front of him looking at him in the eyes, "We will find a way to save you, I owe you that."

"Thank you," Wayne said walking over to Maxcien who gave a small kick to Ali knocking her forwards.

"The deal is done. You are free to go." Ali walked by Wayne and Wayne walked by Ali. As soon as Wayne was near Maxcien, she grabbed the gems and then grabbed Wayne putting a gun to his head.

"No one follow us or he will get it," Maxcien said backing away pulling Wayne along.

As soon as she was out of sight, they all ran after her including Mr Threehorn. They came to a clearing and found an odd object in the middle. They skidded to a stop looking at it and Littlefoot saw Wayne being put on the object. Taking a chance, he began running towards it.

"Littlefoot! Where are you going?" Cera shouted to him.

"Oh no, no, no! Come back Littlefoot!" Ducky called out.

"I am going to save Wayne!" Littlefoot called back running onwards to the object which had the top part starting to move around at a fast speed and the end bit moving as well.

"Damn that boy! He's going to get himself killed!" Mr Threehorn said watching Littlefoot running to the object in the middle, which was starting to make a loud buzzing noise.

"This isn't going along with the plan…" Ali spoke up and they all looked at him dashing ahead.

"What plan?" they all said including Mr Threehorn and Spike looking confused at her.

It slowly started to raise off the ground with a howling buzzing noise coming from the chopper as Littlefoot got closer. Seeing that he couldn't reach it before it lifted high above the ground, so he took a chance and jumped at it from a few feet away. Littlefoot's front legs hooked onto the bottom part of the chopper and he scrambled to get a grip without falling. He wrapped his front and back legs with his tail around the pole managing to hold on as it got higher and higher above the ground. Littlefoot hanging upside down, looked at the ground as it got further and further away.

"Ahh! This is too high! How is this buzzing thing getting so high up!" Littlefoot said looking up at the underside on the chopper. Then, the next thing he noticed, something grabbed him by the tail pulling him up, "Ahh! Help!"

"Shut it you little fool!" Maxcien said pulling Littlefoot into the chopper letting him hit the floor hard.

"Littlefoot are you ok?" Wayne asked helping Littlefoot to his feet but the movement caused him to slip and land on Wayne against the side of the wall.

"Ow sorry!" Littlefoot said trying to get off Wayne.

"Keep still!" Maxcien said and both looked at her, "Now stay where you are you two. It's your own fault little dinosaur that you are now prisoner number two," Maxcien said tapping a glass with it sliding open, "Take us back to base." The glass closed and the chopper turned and headed north.

Petrie had left the others without them knowing going after the buzzing loud object which was getting further and further away.

"It fast! Me no know if me can follow it," Petrie huffed and puffed as he gave chase.

The buzzing flyerwas gaining distance every second leaving the forest behind with all the green grass ground. Petrie took a look at the ground and saw how barren the land was. Nothing was growing there but his concentration was interrupted by a rumbling sound and the sound of something burning. Petrie looked around for the source of the noise and saw a long, wide river of hot lava. Petrie stopped chasing the buzzing flyer with fear and shuddered at the sight of hot lava. Petrie followed it with his eyes and saw a rock like bridge going over the lava. Further in the distance, a large odd-looking place he saw the buzzing flyer that had captured Wayne and Littlefoot landing in it.

"Me found place Wayne and Littlefoot is! Me tell others!" Petrie turned back and flew off back to the others with a smile feeling that he did good following the buzzing flyer.


	31. Chapter 30: Plans and Walls

**Chapter 30: Plans and Walls**

The corridor of the lab complex stood quiet with little movement between the metal doors on either side. They appeared to never have been used for any means with little other then dust collecting on the walls, doors and floors. The double beds in each room looked untouched and the covers never disturbed; still all neatly folded. Soon, the quietness lifted with the sound of many footsteps echoing down the corridor with one boy carrying something large in his arms with a neck hanging on one side and the tail on the other.

"Move it you brat!" one of the men barked pushing the boy.

"Hey cut it out! I can't move as fast as you since you baboons knocked Littlefoot out!" Wayne argued having a hard time carrying Littlefoot down the corridor.

"In here," another said opening the door. As Wayne walked halfway in, both guards gave him a sharp boot up the backside sending Wayne flying into the dormitory and closed the door tight behind him. Wayne barrel-rolled in mid air before landing on his back with Littlefoot dropping on top of him.

"This is no way to treat a guest," Wayne said in a sarcastic tone looking at the guards with his head hanging upside down stretching his neck muscles. The slit near the top of the door opened and a pair of eyes looked through.

"Sarcastic remarks will get you nowhere. You and the dinosaur will stay here 'til the Professor says otherwise. Enjoy your stay," the guard grinned closing the shutter leaving Wayne to listen to the footsteps fading away.

"Littlefoot, wake up please! I am puffed out and I can't push you off," Wayne wheezed exhaustedly trying to push Littlefoot off his chest. Wayne then noticed Littlefoot's eyes slowly opening. "Oul…" Littlefoot moaned slowly as his vision cleared with a light headshake.

"If you're finished, could you step off me now?" Wayne asked. Littlefoot took a look at Wayne and then got up and stepped off Wayne, "Oomph" Wayne gasped sitting up holding his chest.

"Wayne? What happened? Last thing I remember was the buzzing flyer landing." Littlefoot asked looking around the dormitory. He walked around a bit before stopping and feeling a chill go through the base of his feet and up his body.

"Why is the ground hard and so cold?"

"It's a floor. We in a dormitory of some type and we will be stuck in here until that jerk of a professor decides to let us out…" Wayne answered getting up and walking a few steps to the ladder. Climbing up it, he sat on the bed looking down at Littlefoot. "You get the bottom bed since I don't think you can climb up a ladder," Wayne said with both arms resting on his legs.

"That? Is that a bed? It looks kinda weird," Littlefoot said eyeing the bottom bunk peculiarly. Walking over to it he placed both front feet on top of the bed, "I thought it was going to be hard like the floor but it's all soft." Littlefoot climbed up on the bed feeling the soft mattress on the soles of his feet,

"Is this what humans sleep on?"

"Yes and no… this is where prisoners sleep," Wayne told him, "We haven't got a will of a chance to getting out of this place…" Wayne shifted his body around till he hung his head over the side looking at Littlefoot upside down "All we can do is talk and wait"

"I hope our friends will come for…" Littlefoot paused seeing the shutter open and something thrown into the dormitory. Littlefoot jumped off the bed landing on the hard floor a little more forcefully than he meant to. As he touched the ground, his knees buckled and his legs gave way leaving him to land flat on his chest and stomach.

"Littlefoot, are you ok?" Wayne said as he was about to climb down the ladder.

"Yeah just don't like this hard floor," Littlefoot whined getting up and walking over to the object that was thrown into the room, "Wayne! It's one of the gemmys!" Littlefoot said picking up the gem in his mouth and walking over to Wayne he touched the ground. Littlefoot put his head over Wayne's hand and let go of the gem "See?"

"Yeah I do see… but who would be going under the authority of the Professor?" Wayne questioned as he and Littlefoot stared at the gem in wonder.

Meanwhile, in the clearing of London Valley (which Mr Threehorn called the place), Ali began telling them about the plan that she and Maxcien had came up with while Cera, Petrie, Ducky, Spike and Mr Threehorn (including their captured friends Wayne and Littlefoot) were trapped in the time loop place and out cold for two days in the forest. Ali explained that it was a risky plan but a workable one. The plan consisted of different things from planning the taking of the gems and Wayne with now the blood sample moving on top of the objectives list after the Professor demanded it. The next thing was to go to the base and getting in without being noticed, which would happen at nightfall through a side entrance of the base on the following day. The final plan was to disable to the cannon after opening a time rift to their own era. It all sound real simple but from Mr Threehorn's experience, it always sounded easier and more likely to harder to do due to twists in the plan like the blood sample Maxcien took from him and Littlefoot jumping on the buzzing flyer; this wasn't part of the plan by a long shot.

"And that's the plan. I know Maxcien did look mean and kind of frightening but it was all false. She was just pretending to act the way she did," Ali said. Ducky and Cera looked at each other and then at Spike who looked at Mr Threehorn.

"It sounds plausible but highly risky. This can all fall out of place if one thing happens. The chain of events will happen leading to the plan changing," Mr Threehorn said steadily to the children, "And you're Ali right? The longneck with the ones migrating that came a while back."

"Yes I am sir, and you're Cera's father," Ali replied and Mr Threehorn gave a nod and a semi-gratified grunt, "Cera what do you think of the plan?"

"I think it's all fishy, there's no way that your plan will work; not if Littlefoot is now caught as well as Wayne. They both need to be rescued before going home or shutting this cannon down… what ever this cannon is anyway," Cera said bluntly.

"She does have a point" Petrie joined in landing on a rock nearby.

"Petrie? I did not notice you went," Ducky said looking at him climbing up the rock and sitting beside him, "Where did you go then?"

"Me follow buzzing flyer. It was fast… faster then any flyer me seen before," Petrie said lifting his wings high, "It went over great fire river and land in place with big flat walled objects"

"Wow that was brave of you Petrie, did you find a way to it?" Ali asked.

"Yeah me did!" Petrie flew off the rock landing on Ali's head, "It on great land bridge going over great fire river," Petrie said with a smile looking at the others from on top Ali.

"Urm great," Cera said walking up to Ali, "So show us the way already."

"Not so fast Cera, we will have to be careful in this world. It's a time somewhere we've never been before and there can be many dangers," Mr Threehorn warned the children. Lowering his head and digging his horns in the ground, he flicked up some dirt up in the air and landing in some trees forcing lots of birds to flee from the area going high into the sky. "See what I mean children?"

"Yes Daddy I see," Cera mumbled kicking a stone with one of her front feet, "But we will go to the land bridge won't we Daddy?"

"Yes Cera, we will. Since Littlefoot and Wayne both need to be saved, Petrie should lead the way," Mr Threehorn looked at Petrie. That look was all it took for Petrie to shake a bit.

"Me show," Petrie called flapping his wings and flying towards the direction of the land bridge with the others following him.

They travelled through layers of thick woodland for a time before they walked out into large clearing, which was very surprising to see. Mr Threehorn looked at the green forest they had just exited from.

"This is insane! This area has nothing growing by the forest looks… nevermind… this human world is very odd," Mr Threehorn muttered.

"Me found it odd too, but this is no grow part," Petrie announced pointing in front. Ali took a look and saw why. There was a glowing red coming from the ground some distance away.

"Is that the fire river?"

"Yeah that is," Petrie replied with a nod, "and there the land bridge." Petrie pointed redirecting everyone's attention.

"That it? How do we get to the other side?" Cera asked walking towards it.

"Oh yes I see it, but is it safe?" Ducky asked.

"Me no know, it look safe in air," Petrie said landed on Spike next to Ducky. Spike moved on following Cera. Mr Threehorn looked back at the forest.

"How can Cera and her friends be so calm? This is reckless," Mr Threehorn spoke quietly.

"Err sir? Is something wrong?" Ali asked walking back up to Mr Threehorn giving him a shy look.

"Yes I fine longneck," Mr Threehron snorted.

"M-my name is Ali sir," Ali said trying to keep a calm look seeing the angry look on the adult Threehorn's face.

"Look, I know your trying to be friendly, but this isn't the time for this. Ali is it? I appreciate your kindness but we need to get the Longnecks' grandson back and get home," Mr Threehorn said coldly. Ali gulped a bit.

"Ok sir…" Ali said trailing a bit behind them.

They arrived at the land bridge with Cera about to cross it straight away.

"Cera!" a voice bellowed. Cera turned and looked at her father.

"Yes daddy?"

"I will take the lead across this!" Mr Threehorn told her walking closer to it.

"Ok Daddy," Cera acknowledged giving a nod.

"Cera? Is your Dad always so… grumpy and narrow-minded?" Ali asked Cera quietly walking beside her.

"Yeah that's my Daddy. He's not always like this though," Cera replied watching her Dad move closer to it, "He's just strict because he cares for my safety a lot and this is the first adventure that my father has been on with us."

"Yep, yep, yep. Her dad likes to stay in the Great Valley and moans at this," Ducky said with Spike coming alongside them with a hum and a nod.

"Ok, ok. Please stop. I know my Dad is like that sometime but I love my Daddy still," Cera spoke up a bit. Ali looked at Cera.

"Cera? Do you trust the one that gave up for me to be let free?"

"Yeah, don't you trust that human female?"

"No not really, she's tricky. One moment she was all mean to me and the next she's not," Ali said, "and I don't think I trust the one that you were with either." Cera looked at her.

"Ali, you said that different things make a world. What's so different about Wayne? He's human yes, but I know that you haven't seen him long so he won't seem trustworthy to you," Cera said walking in front of Ali and looking her dead in the eye.

"How long that is?" Ali asked curiously.

"Four full days," Cera replied within a second of Ali's question.

"So, how do you know if that's not all him? He could be something bad that you don't see," Ali argued. Cera was about to retort but she took a thought to what Ali had just said.

"Maybe…yeah… but I see nothing bad…" Cera paused and turned away feeling that Ali's point is getting through her, "I guess you have a good point Ali." Cera mumbled looking back at her father who was slowly taking his time approaching the land bridge. A stick came into contact with Mr Threehorn's left front leg which made him stop. He looked to the left and down staring at a human that just seem to come out of nowhere. A silent look was all that Mr Threehorn could do as this human made him stop in his tracks; he wasn't even sure he knew he was a threehorn.

"You may not cross the bridge until you tell me your purpose for doing so," the man said standing his stick on the ground with his white eyes looking at Mr Threehorn with a serious look on his face.


	32. Chapter 31: The True Riddle da Little

**Chapter 31: The True Riddle da Little**

"Who are you to tell me not to cross?" Mr Threehorn said loudly staring down at the human but all the man did was stand there.

"Please young man, stop your angry outbursts."

"What?" Mr Threehorn snapped about to stamp on the ground hard but stopped when the man struck his leg with the stick which left Mr Threehorn confused at the way the human was acting; it was as if he thought Mr Threehorn was one of them. He placed his foot back down without stamping and looked at the man dumbfounded.

"Do I hear a sense of unsureness?" the man said turning his head to the side.

"What do you mean by hear? Can't you see me?" Mr Threehorn questioned.

"Once I saw, but eight years ago, my sight was lost on a stormy night. A flash I saw and that was it; my sight was gone. Now I see nor you or the sky," the man said in a rivalry tone moving a hand in the air and pointing a finger at Mr Threehorn.

"If you can't see then how can you tell the way I am feeling and how can you live without sight?" Mr Threehorn asked the blind human still slightly confused.

"Why of course I can tell. My ears work very well, telling the different tones in your voice and I can live without sight. I can hear the smallest noise from 500 metres away," the man said walking in front of the land bridge turning around to look at Mr Threehorn from using the sounds he heard coming from that direction.

"The answer to who I am, Jason O'Neil is my name."

"Right… now tell me why I can't cross?"

"Because you and the ones behind you are not ready," Jason replied with a finger waving side-to-side, "once you answer my riddle and you answer it correctly, you may cross and not before."

"Hold on for moment," Mr Threehorn said turning away heading to the children; his feet coming down in their usual thudding footsteps.

"Four thuds, an odd, quick walk, but not unheard of," O'Neil mumbled to himself taking note of the footfall but still unknowing of what Mr Threehorn exactly was.

"Daddy? Why did we stop?" Cera asked coming up to her father half way.

"We stopped because a human that can't see will not use cross the land bridge," Mr Threehorn said looking down at Cera.

"If he can't see then we can go right over, you're bigger than him Daddy," Cera said but Mr Threehorn shook his head, "Daddy? Why can't we cross, really?"

"The human doesn't know we are dinosaurs since he hit me on my leg and he seem to be strongly worded about this riddle that we have to answer to cross that land bridge."

"Sir? Are you saying that an untrusting human is getting the better of you?" Ali asked.

"I may not trust him but I am not cold like that. I might hate the humans but like I said I am not cold Plus, he can't see us but can hear very well," Mr Threehorn told Ali, "anyway, who are you to question me? I am the adult here and I make the decisions as I see fit." Mr Threehorn turned back and headed for the land bridge again.

"Cer-Cera I didn't mean to upset…" Ali stuttered a bit feeling a bit unnerved by Mr Threehorn's reaction.

"It's all right Ali; that's my Daddy for you," Cera said following her father. Ducky looked at Ali from on top of Spike.

"We do not like this place anymore than you do," she said and Spike gave a nod agreeing the Ducky's words.

"Me no like this place either. Me want to be back home," Petrie added flying up to Ali "but why did human take you all over place in first place?"

"She was after your new friend… all I can say is that he should stay here in his own world and we go back with Littlefoot back to ours and leave it at that," Ali said walking on with Spike beside.

"That will be hard, oh yes, yes, yes. Cera has gotten use to Wayne being round. They are like best friends and we are friends with him too," Ducky said with a smile.

"I don't know… he doesn't look all that trusting to me," Ali said looking forwards like she wanted the subject dropped.

"She no like Wayne? But me this he lots of fun," Petrie said scratching his head from where he sat on Spike's back.

"I do not know, but me and Spike like him," Ducky shrugged smiling as did Spike humming and nodding.

Meanwhile, Mr Threehorn was now standing face to face with the human.

"Ah, I see you have come back to answer my riddle," O'Neil said and sniggered a bit, "well not as much as see but hear."

"Oh great…" Cera rolled her eyes

"Do you have a problem young lady?" Jason said pointing the stick at Cera with a frown.

"Yeah, you!" Cera sneered at him.

"I see, so you have a daughter," Jason said flicking his stick to Mr Threehorn, "very similar attitude only comes from a family member which raise them with the attitude they have had throughout their lives." Mr Threehorn growled a bit.

"Who are you to jump to such wild conclusions about me and how I deal with my daughter!"

"He doesn't sound trusting. I don't like this guy," Ali whispered to Ducky.

"Ali… you do not trust any of them," Ducky replied flatly.

"If your quite finished talking, please, let me tell you the riddle and therefore grant you permission to cross the bridge," Jason spoke out to them all. Mr Threehorn slowly growled under his breath getting annoyed with the human at every second that passed.

"Begin already!" Cera shouted at Jason.

"As you wish…" O'Neil replied walking over to a boulder and sitting on top of it, he breathed in deeply and cleared his throat, "the riddle is in amongst a story. You will have to end the story in order to solve the riddle and to do that, you must give me the right ending. If you succeed, you know your reward similarly, you know the price for failing. The story is that of five that travel long and far to a place of dreams. They get lost from the ones they knew but grouping together they face the impossible; there are no limits to that of the impossible. They could do anything to shatter the impossible, meeting new faces and staying strong. The puzzle is why they can reach their goals and why they all are able to achieve the impossible? The next clue is that of the change that takes place. New and unknown changes take place with the flash of the heavens as more unexplained mysteries occur in the world of new Eden and supernatural events. The souls which take the choice will bring the end of the end to the greatest threat…" Jason then silenced and closed his eyes. Humming melodiously he tapped the stick on the rocky surface a few times, "Now for the ending, what will it be and what will you choice in the events leading to a end. Choose the answer that you think is right, take your time… There is no rush, take the time you need to get the ending you need and you have the entrance code to enter the beyond of the bridge of destined for you to choices," Jason O'Neil said getting off the boulder standing in front of the land bridge with both hands resting on top of his stick.

Mr Threehorn shook his head a bit with a baffled look. He'd never heard such a story told in a rhyme that had a riddle to be solved. It was a unique feature within this small creature which could be told as he told it like he'd been waiting. Cera, Ali, Ducky, Spike and Petrie gathered in front of Mr Threehorn and began babbling to each other trying to think what the ending could be. Then, Ali began speaking slightly off task about how tricky the human could be and about the possibility of it all begin one, big trap. Mr Threehorn seemed to find it hard listening to them as the voices seem to fade away becoming no more then echoes in the shadows as another voice found it way to Mr Threehorn.

"Move fast, move quick, your son is in danger. Quick! The riddle requires an answer from the sight and heart. Time is short and time is fast, the greatest of all darkness is yet to come," the voice said. Mr Threehorn was totally clueless and what the voice meant as the voices of the children slowly faded into hearing range. Mr Threehorn closed his eyes and with a calm deep breath, opened them again. Looking down at the children thinking about the words he had just heard that when it hit him the answer was in front of him. Mr Threehorn took a few steps forwards breaking the conversation between, Ali, Cera, Petrie, Spike and Ducky. Spike was the one to totally break it when he gave Ducky a nudge with his snout.

"What is it Spike?" Ducky turned and noticed Mr Threehorn going to O'Neil, "Cera. Your dad is going to the human, he is, he is."

"What?" Cera turned and looked, "What is Daddy doing?"

"Let's go and see," Ali said making a move to Cera's father; the others following close behind.

O'Neil felt the vibrations of footsteps from Mr Threehorn, Cera, Ducky, Spike and Ali's feet. Jason raised his head with the stick still firmly on the ground.

"So I guess you all have an answer to the riddle?"

"Yes I do, here is my answer and listen well," Mr Threehorn spoke strongly coming to a stop and staring at the blind man.

"I'll do so indeed, my friend."

"I am not your friend human!" Mr Threehorn grunted, "Now here is my answer… the answer to the riddle is: Friends are families and families are friends. The ending to your riddle is. A group of friend travelling far working together and helping each other prove to be more than friends, but as a family. Keeping each other safe and trying to save the ones they care for. Friends become family and the family becomes friends. That's the ending of the riddle and the ending yet to come," Mr Threehorn said in a rhyming way with a move in the voice which was calm and pleasant.

"You have answered the riddle, you have the path to cross. Friends and family, family and friends; your choice was wise and to the heart. Take care and you may pass my blockade," Jason O'Neil backed up a bit with his head lowered looking to the ground. With him aside, they all started to cross the land bridge.

"Beware of the events, beware of the truth since it could be false and lead you to death. Trust the ones you trust; keep your head up and protect the Valley from doom and decimation. Keep to your faint which you choose; the light will shine in the darkness and you will find your path to the end of the war. A war before a war yet to begin; in a world of two that leads to the world of one, hidden to all; for none to see," Jason said to them as they started to cross. Cera stopped and looked at him listening every word he was saying.

While the others had already crossed, Cera took a thought and went up to the blind man. That's when she remembered the riddle and the meaning became clearer. It was referring to her, Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie and Spike.

"Hey you, blind guy!" she called to him. O'Neil looked down at her.

"My name is Jason O'Neil and what's troubling you?"

"The troubling is that you talked in that riddle! Was all about me and my friends? How did you know what we'd been through even though you're not a dinosaur!" Cera gritted her teeth very mad at him at this point.

"Now, now. There is no need for such anger to be shown. I am not but it doesn't matter. The time is closing on my death so I will tell you fast and tell you straight," Jason said still looking down at Cera.

"Huh? What? Your death?" Cera blinked at him "What are you talking about?" Her anger began to slip as she tried to figure out what the he meant.

"No time for that. Here is what I have to say. Two of two worlds have come together and formed the power to travel through time. Do not trust the names of these. They have tried, they will do, they will make you fall for the truth they will tell. It will be true but false in a sense, do not believe the truth from the ones that you don't know. Protect the ones you care for; stop the ones that you face. The time is near for the change to begin; the change of reality forever… My time is close and my death is soon. There will be a new family for you and good luck in your quest Cera. Find the one you will soon call a family with the ones you are with. The name of the truth and the false truth are…" Suddenly, just on a large ledge of rocks beside the river of lava, someone put a long barrelled weapon to the top aiming sharply from a mile away then pulled the trigger. Jason flinched as something struck him, blood splitting on Cera's face. She stood, frozen in shock and eyes wide with fright taking in the sight she could see. The one talking to her suddenly hit by a force and a hole in his chest which had a bullet passed through from behind.

"So…rr…y" Jason sighed before falling silent. He fell backwards and over the edge of the bridge. That was the last moment Cera saw Jason O'Neil with no movement. Just staring at an empty spot unable to break out of the petrifying look she had on her face.

Mr Threehorn looked back at the land bridge seeing Cera just standing on it with no sign of Jason O'Neil.

"Cera…" Mr Threehorn called out but got no response, that's when he noticed blood on Cera's face, "CERA!" Mr Threehorn took a leap over the children landing on the land bridge with a giant thud.

"Cera, speak to me!" Mr Threehorn said in a worried tone. Then, he heard cracks and clicks in the distance. Picking up Cera with his mouth, he made a run to the other children. He took a leap as a final large crack caused the land bridge in the middle to break causing the whole thing on both sides to slide down into the lava. Mr Threehorn landing on the other side with his back feet and tail hanging down. As he pulled himself up from the edge, he placed Cera down and breathed heavily as he looked back at the once complete land bridge.

"Cera, are you ok?" Ducky asked. Cera was breathing but didn't say a word, "She is not talk to me, oh no, no, no!"

"Something must be wrong with her," Ali said taking a look into Cera's green eyes, "Cera? Can you hear me?" Ali asked but only a blink came out of her.

"Why Cera not talking?" Petrie asked taking note of the blood on her face but no injuries, "She got blood on face but no hurt on her."

Spike took a lick at Cera's face on the side that had no blood and Cera took a look at Spike snapping out of her frozen fear.

"H-he's dead… died in front of… m-my eyes…" Cera spoken in a freaked out voice scared out of her mind.

"What?" Mr Threehorn said with the others stepping out the way standing right in front of her looking down at her, "Who's dead?"

"J-J-Jason O'Neil! S-som-some-something hit him and went through him… he fell into fire after…" Cera managed to say before feeling really ill and just collapsing.

"We will rest here until tomorrow…" Mr Threehorn instructed, "Cera is in no condition for travelling, keep away from this edge."

Spike gave a nod looking around the land for anything to eat but seeing only rocky landscape as far as he could see. Spike let of a moan looking to the ground.

"Oh no, no, no! There is no green food around this side of fire river. Spike is hungry and we have got no green food," Ducky whined jumping on Spike, patting him on the head, "do not worry Spike. We will find green food. Let us take a look behind those rocks over there." Spike nodded and headed over to where Ducky was pointing.

Petrie sat on a rock looking at Ali.

"Me no see you in long time Ali."

"Same to you Petrie, but I wish it was in better times than this…" Ali looked at Petrie. "I know different things make a world but the humans, I think, are not trusting in the least."

"Me trust Wayne. Me think Wayne a great friend. He saved Littlefoot from smoke flies, brought him home and he save Cera from large land falling when weird sky act funny," Petrie said in an all innocent voice with wings spread out with a smile.

"But Maxcien saved my life twice and I saved hers once… it doesn't mean they're trusting Petrie. They can do it so they can get to do something bad. These humans, I feel, are like that misusing our trust…" Ali said with a slumbering tone with Petrie looking at her with shock in his eyes.

"No! Wayne not that! No! Me not believe Wayne like that!" Petrie said holding his head not liking the things Ali was saying to him.

"Sorry Petrie, it's up to you what you believe but I believe he's not trusting and none of the humans are either," Ali said to Petrie moving her head to him, "anyway. Why don't we have a look around this area?"

"Me for it, but no more talk about bad things," Petrie said getting on Ali's head.

"OK. I promise."

Mr Threehorn watched the children from where he stood not far from Cera keeping an eye out for any dangers. He took a thought again about what the voice said and so far it was right, but some parts still puzzled him. He took a look at the sky seeing the dull reddish in it and trailing his eyes over the wasted land of black surfaces. A massive amount of reddish, burned-out objects and large odd looking objects sitting on their sides or in pieces in amongst rock and dead trees. He took a look back over to the other side of the lava river seeing a faint amount of green which was the forest but quite some distance away.

'Tomorrow will be the time we get Cera's friend back and go home,' Mr Threehorn thought to himself looking back at Cera. Walking over to her, he settled beside her. "Sleep well Cera," Mr Threehorn whispered.


	33. Chapter 32: Dreams are Real?

**Chapter 32: Dreams are Real?**

Footsteps could be heard in a maze of alley routes within cliffs either side. The canyon was huge, about 10 feet between walls, channelling down many other routes. Suddenly, noises like the sound of something fast moving, echoed down the rocky maze. The attacks upon the runner continued to bring loud and mighty noises down the maze that seemed to be endless. The sky and the background was one merge of brownish coloured rocks that littered the floor and the cliff sides. Soon, a figure appears in the darkness running from something in fear, changing the direction randomly heading anywhere possible trying to lose the attacker that was giving chase. The figure came running around a corner and crashed into something head on dazing it.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" the female voice said knocking the runner out of the dazed look it had on its face.

"Cera?" Cera shook her head and stared at what just hit her. The voice she knew but what it came from was baffling.

"How did you get a voice like a friend of mine? I've never seen a threehorn like you before," Cera asked at once walking around the still semi-dazed threehorn, "Tell me, how you know my name as well."

"Be-because I am that friend of yours…" he said falling silent looking away.

"W-w-Wayne?" Cera gawked. She could have jumped out of her skin at this point once she realised who she was talking to. Seeing that it was him, she took a look into the eyes of the blackish grey threehorn. "How? This isn't possible!" Cera said in a startled tone.

"I just fell asleep on the bunk and woke in this place with…"

Cera quickly spoke up stopping Wayne from finishing off what he was trying to say.

"I did as well just a few moments ago… well more like collapsed in shock, but that not the point. If we're both not awake, then where are we? And why'd you look like a threehorn?" Cera asked in confusion. This didn't make anything easier for Wayne to answer.

"I can only guess we're dreaming but in the same…" Wayne gets cut off once more but this time from an impact on the rocks between him and Cera, "Oh no… run for it!" Wayne shouted.

"I can't disagree!" Cera spoke back as both of them made a run for it from what ever was chasing them. Cera was amazed how well Wayne was running on all four and still startled to see him as a threehorn in this dream world.

"Wayne, when did this dream of you being a threehorn start?" Cera asked running alongside him. Wayne tried not to answer since it wasn't the best of time for questions "Yesterday."

"One dream before this?"

"Can we talk later!" Wayne said back with both making a hard turn around a corner then going to the left on another turn, then a right.

Suddenly, they came to a large circular area and, with a mighty crash, something was in the way.

"Cera? What are you doing here?" the words came out of the one that Wayne and Cera ran into, "And who is this?" Cera looked to see none other than Littlefoot.

"Littlefoot? I was going to ask you that," Cera said getting to her feet looking at him.

"I was asleep and…"

"Not you too… that's three of us… wow, this is weird wouldn't you say Wayne?" Cera looked at the threehorn beside her.

"W-w-Wayne? But how?" Littlefoot stammered looking stunned as he stared at Wayne with his mouth hanging open.

"We were in some type of dream world… that's all I know and for some reason, this dream world has me in the body of a threehorn, not my own body which is asleep like you and you." Wayne looked at Cera and Littlefoot walking on his four feet around them. Littlefoot wasn't sure but he took a step and trod on the tail of Wayne's threehorn body causing him to yelp. He turned around and glared at him.

"Sorry Wayne, I'm just finding it hard to believe."

"That makes two of us, but it is him and not someone else… which makes my head hurt," Cera mumbled.

"But why did he feel pain if we're in a dream?" Littlefoot asked wondering.

Wayne took a thought to a theory finding it a bit hard to think of one. His threehorn feelings seemed to get in the way.

"The only thing I can think of is that… that…" Wayne paused walking right to left in front of them thinking hard. "that we're in a dream that's almost as real as reality… it's like the dreams from the ones that sleep are becoming more real with every passing day, which could be deadly."

"How can it be? Dreams can't hurt you… can they?" Cera now looked a bit unsure.

"Look, Littlefoot stepped on my tail and I felt it. If that would of happened in normal dreams I would have woken up… if it goes too far some can die inside their dreams but I don't know that limit has been reached yet," Wayne explained sitting on his backside, looking at them, "I can feel every inch of this body and the feelings of a threehorn I think… it's like in this now very realistic dream my body takes on another form." Wayne said demonstrating by waving his tail. Wayne raised a front foot up looking at the underside of it and then put it back on the ground.

"I don't know why but my mind feels at ease. The way I feel stuff and the way I am walking."

"Don't you dare get use to it! Coz once this dream is over, you will be back to your normal self when you wake up!" Cera said with a sneer making Wayne keep a strong focus on his true self and who he really is.

Littlefoot then took a look to the right and all around the area seeing it had changed in a instant.

"Hey guys, look!" Littlefoot said making Wayne and Cera stare in disbelief at the land as it seemed to change. Just then, they saw someone not too far from them; it was Doc.

"Doc!" Wayne called out but no response came from the large longneck.

"Doc! Down here!" Littlefoot called out as well and he didn't get a response either as the Lone Dinosaur seemed to be staring at something. Cera looked at saw something black.

"What's that?" Cera asked.

"No idea…" Littlefoot said trying to get a better look at it.

"Hey Cera, Littlefoot look! It's us!" Wayne pointed with a foot making them look. Right there was a human boy with a threehorn and two longnecks, walking with were a swimmer, spiketail and flyer.

"It's all of us including Ali… but what's going on?" Littlefoot asked walking up to them putting a foot on the one that looked like him but his foot passing through it and it made him jump back in fright, "Did you see what I did?"

"Yeah and don't do it again…" Cera said with widened eyes.

Wayne stared at the black thing on the cliff seeing it pull a…

"Rocket launcher!" Wayne cried out.

"A what?" Cera and Littlefoot asked at the same time.

"It's a weapon that fires missiles… I mean smoke flies!" Wayne said forcing Littlefoot and Cera's attention on him. Wayne made a run for the dark figure as it aimed for Doc. Wayne jumped at it only to pass through it and land on the ground with a thud. He turned and watched in horror as a rocket was fired and it smashed into the side of Doc with a huge blast forcing him to cry out in a massive amount of pain. "NO!" Wayne cried out as the view around them changed to that of a cliff edge looking over at the land bridge over the lava river.

Cera looked at Wayne, seeing he was still in shock at what he has just seen. She was too as much as Littlefoot but the way Wayne reacted was startling to see.

"Wayne… it's not real, you went through it."

"You're right… but it was so real… Doc died by the hands of some human…" Wayne said in tears.

"Wayne…" Littlefoot started but looked to see a lady with a long barrelled stick pointing it over some rocks, "Who's that?" Cera took a look and what it was aiming at.

"Oh no! Not this… Please! Anything but this…"

Wayne felt odd for a second and saw he was human again, "Right. The dream is ending. The walls are breaking down… but Cera, what didn't you want to see?" Cera took a look at him then looked up.

"This happened, it really happened… this is going to be the death of a human called Jason O'Neil."

"Jason O'Neil?" Wayne and Littlefoot said in unison in total surprise.

"Isn't he the one that you got that journal from?" Littlefoot asked Wayne looking at him seeing that he was human once more.

"Yeah it is… I never met him in person though." Cera watched as the lady aimed and fired the shot, killing O'Neil. Just moments before the place started to get darker, four words echoed,

"Black Raptor. Mission complete…" Everything went totally black and the dream came to an end.


	34. Chapter 33: The Preparing and the Prepar

**Chapter 33: The Preparing and the Preparee**

The night air had fallen over the complex of Tri-Macrock-Labs. A large number of soldiers were on patrol but not as many since 150 of them had been recalled to the main headquarters of Tri-Macrock-Labs which was located further north somewhere. All but two scientists also went back and so had eight technicians. The recall was used so that the base was not likely to be attacked despite that no one in their right mind would come this far south. A large stage was set up by the lab pointing towards the large open concrete used for storing crates which had since been moved into one of the many smaller buildings to prepare for the night's entertainment. Professor Helienson stood only a few feet away from the stage itself overseeing the work to get the drums, keyboard and other equipment up on it ready for the entertainment. Lieutenant Maxcien walked up to the professor,

"Sir, are you sure this is wise? You know, this whole 'Evening Blaster'?" Helienson turned to Maxcien and smiled.

"Yes I am sure. Even with a low number of soldiers now it's still going to put stress on them. So what better way to relieve the stress by having this Evening Blaster. That way, all will enjoy."

"Well thought of professor," Maxcien replied walking up beside him taking out a cigarette and lighting it. She took a puff and looked at Helienson.

"A cig is all I need to relieve stress." Helienson looked up and gave a small shake of his head.

"Smoking is bad for the health but I can't question what you find best to relieve stress." Helienson walked up to the stage and rest his hand upon it from where he stood and looked back up at Maxcien.

"Why don't you get our guests and bring them out here. I know that brat Longston can't be bought out but maybe we can win the trust of that little Brontosaurus."

"Sir, the little Brontosaurus is about two years younger than the boy," Maxcien replied quickly.

"Pardon?"

"After we took a blood sample of both of them sir. The boy, Longston, and the dinosaur, we found the cellular growthto be at a rate of 23.6 in the dinosaur. Age estimated around thirteen years and very healthy for his age," Maxcien said to the Professor, "just thought I'd let you know but I will go get them at your request." With that, Maxcien turned away and began walking to the main building.

"Hmm…Now that is interesting… Wayne Longston is about fifteen years old since he was in the dinosaur era with little time passing and the dinosaur's two years younger. Still having an innocent soul,"Helienson spoke to himself with his chin resting on his hand, "But why do I get the feeling that there is another force at work here?" Helienson knelt down picking up a rock. He stared at the smooth, round stone admiring the texture of its surface.

"Maybe this world isn't worth it… but I've come too far for some little dinosaur and his friends to get in my way now."

Suddenly, Grant came up to Professor Helienson from the Commander's building with a pad in his hand.

"Professor!" he called. Helienson turned around and looked at Grant and the pad he had in his outstretched hand. Helienson took the pad and looked at it for a moment before getting a pen out of his white coat pocket and wrote on it.

"Professor, what would you like us to do with the Chrono Cannon at this time?" Grant asked as Helienson handed back the pad and put his pen away.

"Put it on minimum power and we will put the three gems into the program slots tomorrow."

"Three sir? We have only…"

"Talk about it later Grant," Professor Helienson said as he turned away going to a few soldiers to talk to them. Grant gave a nervous look behind the Professor's back.

"Oh crud… I'd better go find that missing gem before all hell breaks loose from the professor…" Grant turned to the command building and ran to it as fast as he could.

Meanwhile, Maxcien came to the doors that led to the main labs. She looked over to her right and saw the crates still where they were three years ago remembering that she was right on top of that boy and neither her nor the two men saw or heard Wayne hiding behind them.

"Snooping around got you into this mess," Maxcien said opening the flap of a security panel and pushing the numbers on the pad '2-6-7-1-1-8' and she pushed the green button to confirm. Maxcien waited for a few seconds and the doors slowly cracked open swinging inwards. She walked through and stopped looking at the name of the main corporation then the logo.

"So the old crack pot finally put that logo for Tri-Macrock-Labs back where it belonged." Maxcien gave a smile walking onwards into the main building but there was hardly anyone around since they was all outside. Maxcien picked up the keys from a hook on the wall and made a right turn down a corridor lined with metal doors.

"Now, what cell were those two in…" Maxcien asked herself putting a hand on her hip and taking a look at all the doors, "God, this is going to take ages to find that cell…" Maxcien shook her head and headed to the nearest one. Putting the key in and unlocking it, she about to open it but a screech and slam knocking her flat on her butt.

"What in the world is that?" Maxcien quickly got up and pulled the door shut locking it, "Phuf…" she winced as she opened the shutter and looked in there to get a good look at a dinosaur mouth with sharp teeth come at the shutter. She quickly jumped back from the door.

"Whoa! How on the… I wouldn't like to know…" she mumbled walking away from the door.

Wayne and Littlefoot both woke up at the same time with start. Wayne fell off the top bunk and landed on the hard ground and Littlefoot tumbled right on top of him.

"W-w-w-what was that?" Littlefoot stuttered.

"I… don't… know…" Wayne gasped from under Littlefoot who was sitting on top of him. Littlefoot got off Wayne and turned to face him.

"Sorry, just whatever that was scared me."

"Same here…" Wayne added pushing himself onto his knees looking at Littlefoot, "It did come from outside this cell… must be something else in a cell."

"Yeah and scary," Littlefoot replied but he suddenly picked up on the sound of doors opening and shutting, "What're those noises?"

"Sounds like cell doors but I wonder who been looking in them especially at this time of day," Wayne said turning his head to the barred window seeing darkness had fallen.

"It's night time? Wow, we must have spent not long… erm Wayne?" Littlefoot gave a quick pause remembering something about them sleeping. Wayne felt a bit uncomfortable the way Littlefoot had finished that sentence.

"Yes?"

"Do you remember that dream you had? You know, where you was looking like a Threehorn?" Littlefoot spoke with an unsure yet slightly freaked out voice. Wayne for a minute or two to think before turning his eyes to Littlefoot again,

"Yes I do and how it felt… I think my theory is right. Something causing us to have very real dreams and I don't think it was a natural event."

"Why?" Littlefoot asked a little baffled by what Wayne meant. Wayne pushed himself onto his feet then stood up going to the barred window and looked through it.

"Since the dreams felt as like it was real and feeling myself as a threehorn to the point of someone stepping on the tail," Wayne said glancing over his shoulder at Littlefoot, "Did you ever feel that dreams were real?" Littlefoot shook his head,

"No I haven't," Littlefoot replied lowering his neck, "are you saying that the 'feel real dreams' we had were not suppose to happen?"

"Right, you got it," Wayne verified turning around fully pointing both index fingers at Littlefoot, "the dream we had with Cera in it means Cera was linked in the same dream which also shouldn't be possible," he continued in a worried tone, "it's like dreams are becoming real to the point of death or being permanently trapped in a dream unable to out… this is dangerous with this real dreaming…"

"We got to stop it then! What if Grandpa and Grandma start having real dreams?" Littlefoot shouted looking very shocked. He didn't want to imagine what worse things could happen.

"Calm down Littlefoot. We will stop it I promise you that," Wayne said putting his hands in front of him and pulling the arms back a bit and then forwards about two times.

"Sorry," Littlefoot quickly apologised. Wayne went over to Littlefoot and sat down on the hard floor beside him.

"No need to be sorry Littlefoot. You're worried about your family, that's understandable," Wayne said looking at him. Littlefoot sat down as well with his tail swishing side to side slightly,

"Since I first saw you Wayne, I thought you were a great hero for saving me and I still do think that."

"Littlefoot, I am no hero… I just saved you because I thought it was the right thing to do at the time… I don't want to be anyone's hero," Wayne said turning his head away to stare up at the wall. Littlefoot stood up on all fours and circled around Wayne to look him in the face.

"You DID do the right thing and you are a great friend; even if you do have a stubborn side to you," Littlefoot said with a cheerful voice. Wayne stared at him in the eyes for a second.

"That 'stubborn side' comes from my mum. I guess her yelling at manager after manager gets to you and mode it into ya," Wayne told Littlefoot, "and you're a great friend as well. One of the first friends I've ever had."

"The first?" Littlefoot questioned slightly taken aback but Wayne nodded.

"Yeah. I never had friends while I walked around… I guess being alone from the age of six did that to me… Nine years on and I didn't have friends until I met you and the others." Littlefoot smiled proudly on hearing this; he was happy that he was the first friend Wayne had had in a long time. As Wayne went on about his past and Littlefoot listened and conversed, Maxcien was, on the other hand, getting really ratted up opening door after door finding them all but the first one she checked completely empty. She placed a key in the lock of the next cell and turned it. Hearing the bolt unlocking, Maxcien pushed it open, looked at the floor and shook her head.

"Another empty one… how many more to check…" She said in an exhausted tone pulling her head up again and turning around to look at the remaining doors, "another twenty-three to go…" Maxcien grumbled walking to the next door. Then, she stopped halfway on hearing someone talking.

"Ah, found ya!" Maxcien smirked walking to the door opening the shutter a bit to see Wayne and Littlefoot inside talking to each other, "Should I cut in on the chit-chat?" Maxcien whispered to herself and then smiled, "Why not?" Maxcien put the key in the lock and pulled it around. She then pushing the handle down and pushed the door open.

Both heads turned looking at Maxcien with startled looks.

"Oh don't give me that look because I burst your bubbles," Maxcien said with both hands on her hips, "It's taken me twenty-eight tries out of fifty cells to find this one," Maxcien sneered at them. "So do me a favour and keep your mouths shut. Say nothing and get a move on." Maxcien stepped to the side putting her right arm up pointing out the door. Wayne stood up and grabbed his packback only to have Maxcien snatch it away.

"Hey! That's mine!" Wayne whined and went for it only to have a gun pulled at him pressed against his forehead, "Erm…never mind… you can have it…" Wayne said with a panic-stricken look. Maxcien placed the gun away keeping an eye on Wayne as he walked out of the cell with Littlefoot looking both quiet and quite scared.

"Look if it makes you two feel better I wasn't going to shoot you and here is your bag back all I wanted was this," Maxcien said throwing the bag back to Wayne. He caught it looking at what it was in her hand, "I knew you had a lighter in it and I needed it to light my fag," Maxcien said pulling out a cigarette from her army-combat trousers before putting it in her mouth and lighting the end with the lighter. Littlefoot watched with great interest as Maxcien pulled the cigarette out of her mouth and blew out some smoke.

"What is that?" Littlefoot asked intrigued.

"This? It's a cigarette and I smoke it by lighting the end up. It relieves my stress but I would recommend you try it…not suited for kids your age," Maxcien said taking another drag.

"Can I ask why you keep changing your attitude?" Wayne asked with a frown. Maxcien took a minute to think looking at the ground.

"Mmm… good question. I am not really sure, but I know how I acted three years ago but I feel like now it wasn't me at all."

"What do you mean?" Littlefoot asked her but still keeping his distance by standing beside Wayne. Maxcien took another few seconds to answer.

"Someone called… erm… I am not sure what his name is but I remember being in a chair and some device on my head," Maxcien said and finding that the pieces were adding together, "Why were over a hundred and fifty men and women sent back to HQ and us kept here… something smells fishy here."

"In what way?" Wayne asked.

"The ones left behind have been gathering to enjoy a party yet only me, two of the best men we have, Professor Helienson and the four technicians aren't joining the party…" Maxcien suddenly let her mouth hang open in shock allowing the cigarette to fall out. "Quick! Come this way! I think we're about to find something disturbing," Maxcien took off into a sprint leaving Wayne and Littlefoot confused staring at each other.

"Should we follow?" Wayne spoke temporarily forgetting that they were still in the building.

"Yeah she seemed confused and shocked, did you notice that?" Littlefoot replied turning his head to Maxcien who stopped and waiting for them.

"I did, maybe it something to do with that head device she said," Wayne suggested noticing that things were become more and more strange.

"Come on!" Maxcien shouted out to them.

"Coming!" Littlefoot called back starting to make a run but the smooth polished surface made Littlefoot loose his footing and he ended up landing on his stomach and slid across the floor. Wayne ran up to Littlefoot and helped him up and both quickly caught up to Maxcien taking sometime that was a good thing in the long sense.

Somewhere outside the base, a black dressed figure was looking over at the base with a pair of binoculars with an evil smirk on her lips. She pulled up a radio to her side of the face,

"Black Raptor to Red Falcon…"

"This is Red Falcon. What is your status?" a voice crackled back.

"I am here and I have hacked into the Chrono Cannon mainframe. I am ready to let off a Chronotanic discharge but unable to access the database on the location but it'll open a gateway too," Black Raptor replied back lifting a lid from in front of her looking at the screen.

"Are our main objectives going to live through it?" Red Falcon said back from the other side of the radio line.

"Lt Maxcien, Professor Helienson, Alice, Alan, Grant, Janny, the two scientists, Stud and Trud will all be the last living things on the base," Black Raptor replied typing in the codes, "Ready to fire."

"Do it." Black Raptor smiled putting her finger over the enter button.

"50 men on the wall,

50 men on the wall,

Put a discharge down,

And there will be 0 men on the wall," Black Raptor sang with a small laughter as she pushed the enter button, "Time for the fireworks of discharges." She put her hands behind her head and stared towards the base from where she sat on her jeep's bonnet.

Back in the base, the men gathered around ready to listen to the first musical act all giving a cheer ready for the fun to begin, unknown to them the Chrono Cannon was powering up at a fast rate until a humming noise started radiating out from it. They all turned and stared at the Cannon, some pointing at it and nervous chatter started to break out.

'What's going on?'

'Is this part of the show?'

'I got a bad feeling about this…'

They all looked on as a purple cloud began forming around the tip of the coil like a pole. All of a sudden, the cloud started spreading out in all directions, covering them and leaving them confused. Panic started setting in as they began running in all directions trying desperately to head towards the nearest shelter but it was too late. A large flash appeared at the end of the ball at the tip of the coil causing a discharge full of energy to spread within the cloud striking the men as they fled causing them to drop to the floor. In a matter of seconds, it was over. The cloud had disappeared with the discharge and the Cannon returned to its normal status leaving soldiers littered all over the place not moving a muscle. The only ones left standing were the technicians who stood outside the command building staring in shock at the sight with the two guards. Over in the lab complex, Professor Helienson stood there with the two scientists horrified at the view they were witnessing. Lieutenant Maxcien, Littlefoot and Wayne came up alongside Helienson and the scientists; they too gaped with hanging mouths both looking startled, shocked and scared. All stood standing silently; all with the same speechless reactions and expressions.


	35. Chapter 34: The True Selves

**Chapter 34: The True Selves**

"Dead…" the words that was hoarsely whispered by one of the remaining eleven; the last living beings on the base as all but two of them began checking the fallen. As they examined one body after the other, none of them were able to find a pulse from the necks or a heartbeat from the chest; their skins ice cold. As they carried on checking all the soldiers, Wayne and Littlefoot watched this new behaviour with confusion on their faces.

"Wayne… why are they acting so different to the first time we saw them?" Littlefoot asked watching Maxcien check man after man on the ground.

"I am totally clueless… it like an alternative personality has just surfaced or something," Wayne replied mumbling a little. Littlefoot looked at him a little confused.

"How do they get this alter-nat-ed per-sir-nat-ming?" Littlefoot tried to reiterate but struggled to say the words properly. Wayne got a gist to what Littlefoot was trying to say to him so he turned to face the bemused dinosaur.

"'An alternative personality'. It's a term I heard that someone has another side to them and that they have no control over. It sort of just happens when they least expect it. Sort of like a side you never thought you'd see in someone," Wayne spoke thinking aloud.

"You're not far from it kid," a voice said making Littlefoot and Wayne turn to the source of the voice. IT was none other than Lieutenant Maxcien, "We all just woken from a bad dream and seeing the damage we caused." She walked up to them stopping about six feet away.

"How do we know that this is not one big trick? Huh?" Wayne said with sharpness in his voice. Littlefoot nodded in agreement seeing the point.

"Wayne's right, you could be tricking us," Littlefoot added.

"I know this is going to be hard to believe but…" Maxcien began but was cut off by a few gunshots. As she looked with Wayne and Littlefoot they could see Stud and Trud holding Helienson's arm trying to get the gun off him.

"What the hell going on?" Maxcien shouted at them.

"He's trying to kill himself that's what!" Trud shouted back still having as much trouble as Stud trying to stop Helienson. Soon Alice and Alan joined in, trying to force the gun out of Helienson's hand.

"God! Do I have to do everything myself?" Maxcien ran up to them and joined in with more shots firing into the night air.

Janny and Grant with Max and Kile, the two scientist, watched helplessly as the struggle carried on until all those trying to get the gun fell over with the professor and the gun slid on the hard surface before coming to a stop at Littlefoot's front feet. Littlefoot took a look at the gun peculiarly giving it a little tap with his front left foot. The gun went off by accident hitting the wall to the left of Janny who instantly started going mad, gesturing with her hands frantically with angry sign language. Littlefoot didn't hear anything from her but he could easily tell how angry she was by the glaring look on her face.

"Calm down Janny, you're scaring him. He didn't mean for it to go off. So stop saying, 'You crazy dinosaur! Keep away from that gun before you kill someone with it!'" Grant said and Littlefoot looked at him with a stunning amazement.

"You can understand what she said? When she said nothing at all!" Littlefoot asked with a wonder that was confusing him.

"Oh, you see her hands moving like that? It's called sign language. She can't speak but can hear and see very well. So this communication is her only way of talking to us," Grant told Littlefoot before turning to the mob that was on top of each other, "You better get hold of the professor so he don't get another chance to kill himself."

Trud and Stud picked up the Professor and held him by the arms ensuring he didn't get another chance to commit suicide. Helienson hung limply from Trud and Stud energy-drained and ill-looking as Maxcien marched up to him and smacked him across his face.

"What the hell you playing at?" She yelled at him causing Wayne and Littlefoot to back away a step or two hearing the anger erupting from her voice.

"Too much blood on my hands… that's what I am playing at…" Helienson spoke back with a voice that sounds sick over a hundred times.

"So killing yourself would make things better!" Maxcien snapped slapping him in the face again, "You're the only one that knows what's really going on! You've been part of Tri-MacRock-Labs for years!"

"Thirty years… I've been with them for thirty years and for twenty-five of them, I was brainwashed to kill and destroy so many human lives for the pride of Tri-MacRock-Labs… and to give the world what no one sees to the leader… a leader who I can't remember but I know… the one who brainwashed all of us…" Helienson said in a weak and wracked tone.

"Who? Spit it out old man!" Maxcien said about to slap him again but Alan and Alice grabbing her hand she took a look at them both.

"That is…" Alice began

"…Enough! He's just been…" Alan continued.

"…brainwashed as much as…"

"Us!" they both finished in unison.

While Maxcien took time to respond, something crept into Littlefoot's mind.

"Wayne. I bet they're twins!"

"I never met twins before…" Wayne replied in a half-surprised look.

"Maxcien! His name is Chi-Sanner. The world's leading professor in the body of minds and other things like I do… testing of the theory of the solar system, space, time and fabric of sub-genetics. He's just as good as me but he has gotten the better of me twenty-five years ago…" Professor Helienson said as the two guards let him go forcing him to drop onto his knees where he looked to the ground, "I have killed even dinosaurs… I don't deserve to live…"

Now, Maxcien had had it with the professor's whimpering. Grabbing him by the collar, she pulled him up on his feet so he was at eye level with her and she stared hard into his face.

"Now see here Professor. We all feel sick and want to kill ourselves right about now but this is no time for dying because of what we or you did… We all are going to live and live up to the day that this Chi-Sanner sees my fist hitting his face with you stopping the leader of Tri-MacRock-Labs from taking the goal of all goals. Do you hear me?"

"Yes I do Maxcien…" Helienson replied sheepishly and Maxcien let him go. Helienson tidied himself up and looked at Wayne and Littlefoot.

"I am sorry what I have done… I can never bring back the ones I've killed… but I will make amends to the damage I've done by ending it…" Helienson took a look at the remaining team of the base, "Clear the bodies up. Put them all in the morgue… I will be in my lab." Helienson then turned on his heels and walked away from them pushing the keys on the keypad and entering the building once it opened.

"You al heard him! Let's clear this up!" Maxcien shouted clapping her hands twice before going to Wayne and Littlefoot, "You kids will need rest and not in that cell near that meat-eating dinosaur."

"What?" they both shouted and almost hugged each other in fear and shock hearing what she said.

"Don't worry, you two will sleep in the barracks over there," Maxcien reassured them pointing to the building nearest to the Chrono Cannon, "now go and get some rest. I will get Grant to bring breakfast to you children in the morning."

"What? Me? I am a technician not a delivery boy!" Grant protested.

"D'ya wanna take it up with me?" Maxcien sneered giving him a cold look and Grant gulped.

"No ma'am…"

"Good," Maxcien said with a smile before going over to Janny and helping her carry a body to a building on the far side by the lava cliff and the wall of the base.

"Wayne? Should we?" Littlefoot asked looked up at him uncertain.

"I don't see why not… they are all acting strange and I am too tried to complain about it…" Wayne yawned before turning away and making his way to the barracks.

Littlefoot looked at the Chrono Cannon seeing a flash at the end of it that looked like the one that blow the large flying rock up.

"That's it! That's the one that destroyed the large flying rock! I know it is!" Littlefoot beamed before noticing Wayne was way ahead of him, heading over to the barracks, "Hey wait for me!" Littlefoot yelled as he made a sprint to the barracks.

Without anyone knowing, Black Raptor had gotten into the base and had taken two small objects before driving away in her jeep kicking up dust as she made a run. However she took a look at them in the case but noticed something and she slammed her foot on the brakes. Picking the case up and staring at them, she cursed loudly throwing the case on the empty seat and hit the steering wheel with her fists twice.

"Damn it! I forgot one!" She stood up on her seat and taking picked up her binoculars from the back of the jeep. Looking through them, she saw that the main gates were now closed and with the guards in the command centre now posted on the mini-cannon towers. Black Raptor went into an outburst of curses throwing the binoculars in the back of the jeep hitting her fists downwards in thin air before calming down a bit.

"Two gems out of three… now I have to take a new step in getting the last gem but who has it… and how do I get in a base that's now on high alert…" She mumbled with an angry look. From behind her, Black Helmutwas staring at the large and mostly empty base seeing patrol being very strict given the lack of people that were left alive. It was clear that going back was now going to be much more difficult for her.


	36. Chapter 35: Another Day in the 4th World

**Chapter 35: Another Day in the Fourth World**

An unusually dry heat flowed through the wastelands around the old motorway as the sun slowly started to rise and the night sky quickly retreating giving a musty orange tint to the sky. In the background, activity from the Volcano Mountains could be heard letting lava out and allow it to flow down one slope before entering a large open cavern and flowing down it like a fiery waterfall. Further down this cavern on the north side of the flow, past the base, protected by large rocks, a group of dinosaurs slowly start to wake up, feeling the warm air coming up around the shelter. Cera slowly opened her eyes and raised her head up a bit. She then remembering the crazy dream she had.

"Oooo… my head hurts…" Cera took a quick thought, as she looked around the rocky shelter, "Wait a minute. Why does my head hurt from that head butt if it was only a dream?" Cera scrambled onto her feet, looking around and quickly found her father beside her along with the others sleeping together not that far away.

"I guess dreams can be so rea…" Cera started but then she remembered what Wayne had said in the dream, "But what if he was right? What if the others start having real dreams which you can really feel?"

"What was that Cera?" a deep voice said catching her off guard. Lowering her head a bit half closing her eyes with fright and turned around to see the large adult Triceratops looming over her and looking right at her, "Well Cera?"

"Erm… morning Daddy. I didn't see you get up…" Cera said nervously at the tone her father was giving to her.

"Cera," Mr Threehorn raised his voice a bit making Cera gulp and lean away from him with the look he gave her.

"You see Daddy, I had a dream that was real and I saw it again… the death of O'Neil. It still scares me Daddy, seeing someone right near you die… before that I was talking to Wayne and Littlefoot in this real dream and it was real… very real." Cera said but never got a chance to say anything else when Mr Threehorn gave her a very cold look.

"Wayne did you say? I knew there was something about that boy that I should have seen!" Mr Threehorn snapped getting up on his feet, "Come Cera, we will finish this outside this place." Mr Threehorn walked out from their sleeping place through a wide hole. Cera took a look at the others, especially Ali. She knew that Ali would be able to come up with some good points that could possible be true. Cera walked out through the same opening and came alongside her father on the rocky wastelands looking over at the dead trees around them and the lack of water.

"Now Cera, listen to me. Wayne isn't to be trusted anymore. He's too much of a mysterious creature and we don't know about him that much. If what the little longneck told me is true with them able to change their feelings from good to bad in a blink of an eye then Wayne could be the same," Mr Threehorn said very gruffly to Cera.

"Yeah I know about Wayne, he got a snappy temper just like you Daddy!" Mr Threehorn looked at his daughter very angered.

"Look here Cera! He's a creature from this time so he is going to stay here! Once we get Littlefoot we will be heading home! No buts! Do I make myself clear?" Mr Threehorn yelled at Cera stamping a foot hard on the ground.

"Daddy, Ali always had hard times meeting new and different friends… Wayne's no different to any of us. He's from this world too but only another time. He no creature from an unknown that we never seen before, the land we're on, the dirt we kick up, it's all from the same world but another time. Are you, Daddy, not going to trust this dirt because it's from human time?" Cera said back-chatting him like never before. It was like something in her just opened up and it started to tell her the right words to say to her father and it all made sense and what was more surprising was that it was catching her father out.

Mr Threehorn took a few seconds to say anything staring at his daughter who was stood directly under his nose.

"Cera, why are you defending that human?"

"I don't know… he just… well… I like having him around. He's the only one that could talk back to me so well that neither of us won," Mr Threehorn felt a sickening twist inside him listening to his own words, "You're saying that you…" Cera could tell what he was going to say next before jumping in.

"No! Nothing like that! I like him as much as all my friends!" Cera barked at her father in a defence manner.

"Cera, he doesn't belong in our time and have you seen how ill he's been; like he hadn't eaten for days," Mr Threehorn said calmly to Cera walking around the little threehorn before stopping in front of her once more, "I believe he is a good child and odd but he can't live in our valley. It's impossible for something like him that lives a world like this," Mr Threehorn lifted his left foot revealing the marking of his foot in the cracked, dusty ground. "The dirt can live in any time since it the same as anything else but humans are from this time for a reason and we're in our time for a reason. Neither of us is meant to share the same time. The Mysterious World that looks over us did it for a reason, not to upset others but to keep a balance." Cera lowered her head and her mind was telling her that he was right; even though it was unheard of hearing her father say something like that. But what they'd all been through in a short space of time this could be the reason and the cause. But if Wayne was a threehorn in the real dream and then if he could be in reality could he stay with them? Cera then shook her head violently to remove the thought. Why was she thinking of such a crazy thing?

"Daddy, what if Wayne was to become one of us? Would that mean he had to stay with us?" Mr Threehorn found this to be a joke and laughed.

"What a crazy thing to say Cera! There's no real possible way that that could happen. He was born a human and that's what he is and he'll never be anything else," Mr Threehorn laughed a bit more before turning to look the sun rising.

"Daddy, would he be part of our herd if he did become a threehorn?" Cera repeated the question walking around the large threehorn until she was in front again. As absurd as it was to ask, Mr Threehorn had to answer the question just to end the conversation.

"Yes," Mr Threehorn said looking at her, "Now go to that water hole and wash that red stuff off your face," Mr Threehorn spoke in a strong parental tone. Cera looked over to where he was looking and spotted a small water hole on the ground of the waste land of rocks, dead trees and burned out cars.

"Yes Daddy," she replied. Doing as she was told, Cera made her way to the watering hole.

Meanwhile, at the now rouge base, no longer part of Tri-MacRock-Labs was ideally quiet with limited activity. The only real movement was by the two defence systems on the towers either side of the main gate that was closed tight. Inside the building near the Chrono Cannon, that was now also quiet and inactive, Grant was pushing a trolley full of tin lids on top of plates of food. He pushed the swinging double doors open in a grumpy foul mood.

"I am no cook or waiter… I am a technician that good at his job… why should I deliver this blasted food to those children… why can't Maxcien do it and why on earth did I fall for her dark cold stare…" Grant grumbled to himself as he approached the main room where the men would have slept. Grant pushed the doors open and walked in pulling the trolley to see Littlefoot sleeping on a patch of grass that a soldier had made in a corner in his free time and Wayne against the wall with his head resting on the backpack.

"I give up, I just give up! They had all the beds in this barracks to themselves and what do they do? One decides to sleep on a patch of grass that someone's grown in here and the other's perched up against the wall and hard surface of the floor… why do I even bother talking to myself…" Grant spoke sarcastically to the air as he watched the two of them still fast asleep. Grant lifted two of the lids up twisting them around to facing the rims at each other.

"I've always wanted to do this…" Grant said with a cruel grin on his face. Taking a big swing, Grant smashed the lids into each other causing a deafening clatter that echoed in the air waking Wayne and Littlefoot in a split second. Completely confused, both of them got to their feet and made a run for it only to run into each other and ended up landing one on top of the other (Littlefoot on the bottom).

"Ow…" Wayne moaned.

"Wayne… get… off… please…" Littlefoot gasped as Wayne pushed himself off Littlefoot to sit on his backside. They both looked up at Grant to see the technician in fits of laughter.

"That wasn't funny!" Littlefoot said half dazed and upset.

"Sorry… hahaha… I just had to do it. Could have asked for a better setup really," Grant said trying to calm down a little. Wayne frowned at the man laughing at them; he was wearing a white coat with blue navy jeans and black shoes. He was a few feet taller than Wayne with rich brownish, ginger short hair.

"There was no need for a rude wake up call you know! You scared me half to death!" Wayne barked at the technician.

"He's right! You could have just given us a little shake or something…" Littlefoot joined in getting up on all four feet and Wayne getting up off the floor on his own two feet; they both glared at Grant with displeased faces.

"Children…" Grant mumbled rolling his eyes, "There is no shame in the art of practical jokes…" Grant shook his head and placed the lids on the bottom shelf of the trolley. Taking hold of two plates, he strolled over to Wayne and Littlefoot.

"You better enjoy this… I've been slaving around in the kitchen and the cafeteria all morning," Grant grumbled placing a plate of diced leaves and two half of an apple on the floor in front of Littlefoot and handed a similar plate to Wayne placing it in his hands.

"Hey! It's a treestar! I thought you told me they never grew in your world Wayne!" Littlefoot beamed looking at the treestar in the middle of the plate. Craning his head down, he took hold of the leaf in his mouth and ate it.

"Good question…" Wayne hummed looking up at Grant as he sat on one of the many beds nearby. Putting the plate on his lap, taking hold of an apple piece and took a bite out of it.

"It's simple. They grow on the trees on the other side of the lava river. They had been growing there since the quake itself. It's amazing what you can see in a power of a rock that gave an increase in moisture by 150" Wayne choked on the apple in his mouth and took a hard swallow looking at Grant.

"What did you say?"

"You think I am kidding? Well I'm not. To make things more interesting to hear, your little dinosaur friend there is 100 healthy and if things stay good, he could possibly live up to a hundred and eighty years old, if you keep it up that is," Grant said looking at Littlefoot who was totally lost. Wayne was equally bewildered at what Grant was saying, "God, what is it with you two? It's like I am talking to people that live in the Stone Age!"

"Sorry but what are you saying?" Wayne asked but Grant felt annoyed.

"Have you even study history? English? Maths? Science? And basic things of human knowledge to the age of someone?" Grant said flatly to Wayne looking blankly at him.

"No," Wayne replied simply and Grant almost stumbled over as his leg nearly gave way, "I know how to live in a world that's almost totally wasted. I know things like a freight train, some things about dinosaurs, how to read, a little on writing and using a watch and some other things. That's about it."

"God you're dumb…" Grant said with a wave of a hand, "Now listen to what I say…" Wayne and Littlefoot gave a nod staring at him with a look that Grant could tell this was going to be a challenge and a half. "Here it goes…" Grant said to himself and taking a deep breath, he began.

"The things I will tell you will not include things about this base. It's all classified until things can get sorted. This world has been fighting a losing battle against nature with only pockets of humans able to live on and have a great future. The forest you see over on the other side hasn't been there for any more than about three years. A chemical reaction caused the growth of plants to speed and I believe that these 'treestars' as you call them, came from South America; deep underground and yet they spread to every corner of the globe growing at an unbelievable cellular rate."

"Are you getting any of this?" Wayne whispered to Littlefoot.

"No, erm… how about we go and look around?" Littlefoot suggested looking at Wayne.

"Ok," Wayne said to him and they set off leaving their plates empty and headed for the exit as Grant went on talking but failed to noticing that Wayne and Littlefoot had walked through the door and had left him alone.

"And that's how it all came…" Grant opened his eyes and looked around, "to be…" Grant said silently with a deep sigh, "Geniuses are never listened to…" Grant mumbled taking hold of a plate from the trolley and a folk. "May as well not let this go to waste." Grant picked up some of the green leaves with the folk and placed it in his mouth.

"Mmm… tasty. Just needed a little bit more salt," Grant said with a pleased voice eating a well-earned breakfast.

Meanwhile, Littlefoot walked up to a door and putting a front foot on it, he gave it a push. Looking into the room, he saw green on all the walls with a plant-looking texture to it complete with rich, brown wooden shelves that had books all along them but were just out of Littlefoot's reach. Walking further in, he turning his head around taking in everything around him. Taking each step carefully and feeling a little unsafe, he kept his head low as he continued walking softly on the cold surface.

"Why are all these floors so hard? It's kind of hurting my feet," Littlefoot said to himself lifting one of his front feet up and placing it on another tile feeling the cold floor once more, "Maybe that's why Wayne and those humans wear fake feet skin to keep their real feet warm." Littlefoot walked further in looking at the table to the right of him and to his surprise, he saw a light coming from a straight cornered object. Littlefoot walked up to it and jumping on the chair nearly the table, he put his front feet on the top of the desk and bent his head down to take a closer look; his tail swishing back and forth almost excitedly. He looked at the flatter one that had lots of bits sticking out of it and an odd looking round thing on top of a round base object that went inwards. The next thing to catch his eyes was the panel with six switches and two knobs on it.

"Wow, I wonder how a human uses this thing." Littlefoot placed a foot on the keyboard but jumped as a loud beep came from the screen next to him that showed a straight line start to zigzag.

"Huh?" Littlefoot hummed inquisitively as he went in for a closer look at the screen. As he leaned in closer, his foot knocked one of the knobs and it spun around.

"This is Lieutenant Commander Mathews. Is anyone there?" a voice cracked into life making Littlefoot back up a bit startled. He started searching the room for the voice.

"W-w-who there?" Littlefoot stuttered looking for anyone else in the room.

"I just told you my name… who the hell is this?" the voice said again. Littlefoot looked at the screen.

"Lit-Littlefoot… where are you? I can't see you in this place" Littlefoot said trying to locate the location of the voice.

"Never heard of a name like that and I am not in the room. I am talking to you from another computer in the HQ of Tri-MacRock-Labs. I have little time left so I will make this brief. It's important you don't forget anything I tell you. Do you understand?" Mathew's voice echoed in the small room.

"Err… ok, but please say it without too many big words please. I have a hard time saying them or remembering those words," Littlefoot spoke back feeling a bit vulnerable and unsure about this. He was beginning to wish he hadn't walk off from Wayne and exploring more of the barracks on his own.

"Alright, that a deal," the voice said as coughing could be heard, the sound of clearing his throat, "There… have… been… trouble… in… this… place… the… HQ… has… been… testing… on… live… dinosaurs… mainly… raptors… the… meat… eating… ones… taking… insides… out… giving… them… illnesses… and… testing… temporal… energy… on… them." A pause came and then the voice came back "Did you get all that information?" Littlefoot nodded.

"Yes, you saying it slow is helping me. I got what you said. Did you say that sharpteeth are in pain from humans doing things to them?"

"Yes, you got it. Here is the second part," Mathew's voice said sounding slightly appeased, "Rouge… Base… in… danger… in… three… days… a… missile… strike… will… be… launched… on… your… location… warn… survives… that… outer… buildings… are… targets… and…" Suddenly, a noise interfered in the background.

"What the hell are you doing?" a new voice came into play.

"Get him away from the computer he's talking to someone!" another one said then a struggle could be heard.

"Littlefoot! Tell the survivors that the one behind the horrible tests and new temporal testing is Nor…" Mathews tried to announce but he was cut off and the line went dead. Littlefoot reared up on his back legs in surprise and losing his balance, he fell backwards over the chair and onto the floor with the loud crash that rang through the room. Littlefoot laid flat on his back with four feet and tail pressed against the floor. He pushed himself up breathing a little sharply due to nerves; a little shaken by at what had just happened. From his seated position, Littlefoot looked up worryingly at the screen.

Suddenly, Helienson came rushing into the room followed closely by Wayne. He pushed his way past to get to Littlefoot.

"I heard a gunshot!" Helienson boomed looking at the scared longneck, "What the hell happened? Speak up child!" the white haired man ordered but Wayne pushed him back.

"Cut that out you crazed, old crackpot!" Wayne sneered.

"Don't you dare start that off…" Helienson said coldly but Wayne eyes suddenly widened.

"I remember you… you're the one that tried to turn me into a dinosaur!" Wayne said with fright backing away.

"That was the old me… don't worry my boy. Now, tell me child, what happened?" Wayne lowered his defence, something in him believed what Helienson was saying and he turned to the still scared longneck.

"That Mathews guy told me about a missile strike in four days! HQ is doing bad things to sharpteeth! He tried to tell me that the one behind it but then BANG it came and… and… and…" Littlefoot was in tears at this point. He quickly got to his feet and ran up to Wayne. Wayne knelt down and began comforting him with a hug.

"Littlefoot it's ok. Cry as much you want…" Wayne said turning his eyes from Littlefoot to Helienson who was looking down on them.

"Four days… this isn't good…" Helienson went over to a portable radio picked it up, "Maxcien do you copy?"

"Yes Helienson, what is it?" a voice said back.

"Take a jeep and find those other dinosaurs right away, no questions!" Helienson ordered before turning the radio off and placing it down, "Once you're done crying, you two come to my lab. I will be waiting there." Helienson turned away and walked out the room.

"Wayne I'm scared…" Littlefoot managed to say in between the tears.

"I am too…" Wayne said back looking at the snow-filled screen staring deep into it. The memories of this place were flooding back. He remembered hitting his head; he remembered seeing how these people were at first and the dramatic change they had undergone in a short space of time. Wayne looked back at Littlefoot who had stopped crying. Wayne came semi-trust the professor but kept in mind what he was up to the last time around.

"Come on, we'd better not keep the professor waiting," Wayne stood up and walked out the room slowly followed by Littlefoot who was dragging his four feet on the hard ground still feeling very shaken up. His limp tail dangling between his dragging feet with the tip touching the floor time and again.


	37. Chapter 36: Find and Follow

**Chapter 36: Find and Follow**

Maxcien was cursing and mumbling as she placed brown sacks containing large amounts of food in the back seats along with a few weapons in hidden holders in case she ran into trouble.

"Why is that old man so over reactive to everything? There no chance in hell that us going rogue would end up with this place being wiped out in a strike," Maxcien grumbled as she placed the last bag down and covered them. She took a minute look at the large cannon.

"First he shuts the Chrono Cannon down to a minimum secondary power because of some idiots having realistic dreams. Second, a little Brontosaurus finds a way to use a communication device by accident and hears some lame information from Mathews and now I've been told to go on a damn wild goose chase for Ali and the others". Maxcien ranted and raved as she placed the last attachments of ropes over the covering and pulling them taut to make sure it was tightly attached to the jeep.

Maxcien walked around to the left hand side of the jeep and climbed into the front seat; getting behind the wheel. Placing a key in the ignition and twisting, the engine revved into life.

"OK BOYS! OPEN THE GATE!" Maxcien bellowed at the two guards, Trud and Stud, who were standing in the towers placed opposite each other. They both looked at one another and with a nod, they both pushing a green button at the same time. The gates slowly opened up but the view was not an appeasing one.

"A storm… I had to drive into a STORM!" Maxcien spat in anger hitting the peddle with her foot. The back wheels spun madly on the flat surface causing smoke to pour out from the spinning wheels, "Time for some major speeds!" Maxcien let the clutch down with the jeep speeding between the two towers heading towards the old motorway kicking up dust.

"There she goes," Stud said pushing the red button.

"Now let's continue that match," Trud said pushing the red button on his side.

"Your on!" Both put out their right hands, closed up into fists and started bouncing them up and down.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors," they both said and repeated it getting faster and faster. Trud did paper and Stud did rock.

"I win!" Trud yelled triumphantly.

"Lucky bas…" Stud trailed off looking back at the mini-cannon control screen. Trud just sniggered as he returned to his post.

Meanwhile on the other side of the old motorway, Mr Threehorn was leading the children, Ducky, Petrie, Ali and Cera, towards a mass of cars. The motorway was cracked and buckled with large pit holes in some parts. Mr Threehorn stopped beside a car looking at the object closely before pushing it with his head. The metal rims of the wheels sparking and screeching loudly as the car was pushed along on its side before the land below it gave way where it fell with a crash and dust blowing out the hole.

"This way isn't safe… the land looks badly damaged below this. The deep underground has made this area unstable. Keep an eye out for cracks like these and don't step near them," Mr Threehorn warned pointing his head at the semi-large cracks. Cera looked at her father and heard her stomach growl for the eighth time.

"Daddy… I'm hungry," Cera complained.

"Me too…" Petrie spoke up.

"I am as well," Ali said finally feeling a stomach growl of her own.

"I am hungry too, oh yes, yes, yes," Ducky whined as she looked at Spike who was licking his snout whilst looking at a rock, "No Spike! That is not green food! That is a rock!" Ducky flapped standing in the way of Spike, "Please Spike, do not eat the rock or you will get sick." Spike gave a defeated hum and fell on his face exhausted.

"Oh Spike, please get up. We are all hungry, we are, we are." Cera had a sick look on her face which was short-lived as the sound of thunder echoed across the land. She was about to take shelter under her father but with the others around, she didn't want them to see her cower.

"Oh great… this is getting to be a bad day. How can things get any worse now?" Cera mumbled. Suddenly, the dark clouds overhead started to pour with rain.

"You had to ask…" Mr Threehorn grumbled feeling the cold water hitting his back, tail and face. He looked over to where the river of lava, watching large wisps of stream pouring out of the large opened cavern, "Now I know why that land bridge was so weak…"

"What Daddy?" Cera looked at her father but her head bend down a bit from the droplets hitting her face.

"When I manage to get you off that land bridge it broke away because it seems that sky water falls a lot around here," Mr Threehorn told Cera looking down at her with the water pour off his face. A lightning flash appeared making all of them jump.

"Me no like sky flash!" Petrie trembled hiding under Ali; Ducky doing likewise under Spike.

"Oh no, no, no! This sky water is too much. It is falling with sky flashes," Ducky said fearfully. Spike hummed at his big sister trying to convince her it was alright.

"This sky water's falling just as hard as when I first came to see a human," Ali said remembering what Maxcien did to her on that day, 'And that was only seven days ago…' Ali thought quietly remembering what Maxcien did to her face and lucky for her, no one was able to see it since Maxcien healed it up pretty good.

Cera snorted at the weather and a bright line started to appear over the horizon as the storm started to move over them.

"Looks like it's going to be over," Cera said looking up at the sky. Everyone copied her and saw the clouds retreating at a rapid pace. Within a short time, they had flown over them and the pouring rain disappearing. They all turned around, watching the dark clouds go over the open lava cavern. Mr Threehorn gave a smile and a light chuckle as he saw colours filling parts of the clouds.

"Cera, look at that. It's the sky colours."

"Wow! You're right Daddy. It looks beautiful… erm…" Cera took a look at the others then looked at the sky, "I was meant to say it could be better," Cera then said in a harden tone.

"Me like the colours!" Petrie smiled flapping his wings and hovering above them.

"Oh yes, yes, yes, it is always good to see the sky colours," Ducky said gleefully clapping her hands with a joyful smile and Spike licking her face with a smile making her giggle in response.

Suddenly, a clang sound echoed through the air forcing all of them to turn around to an area of cars.

"What was that sound?" Mr Threehorn bellowed as he stared at the area.

"I don't know Daddy it…" Cera screamed as a large explosion ripped through the air near the group of cars where the noise was first heard.. A few cars were ripped apart by the blast and a few cars blasted into the air spinning around and crashing on top of other cars. Thick smoke began billowing up as another blast ripped through the cars followed by a third blast. They were all scared but Mr Threehorn kept a firm, tensed look.

"Don't worry children, I will protect you all from this. Get out of here!" Mr Threehorn walked towards the fire ready to attack whatever was causing the fire.

"Daddy… please be careful…" Cera pleaded.

"But that's just like the…" Ali gasped before shouting, "Stop!" Mr Threehorn turned a bit to look at Ali just as a jeep burst through the smoke and slid to a stop. As they all turned to the vehicle, someone stepped out it.

"Maxcien?" Ali gasped airily.

"Who else would it be?" Maxcien smirked, "Did anyone order six sacks of fresh leaves?"

"What?" Mr Threehorn glared at her, "You just almost hit me with whatever that is!" Mr Threehorn stamped a foot down, "What did you do to Wa…? I mean Littlefoot!" Mr Threehorn came right close to the jeep looking at Maxcien with a cold glare. Maxcien placed a finger on the end of Mr Threehorn's snout just below his horn.

"Look mister, I didn't drive all this way for nothing! So if you want something to eat lose that temper of yours fast!" Maxcien lifted up a sack opening it out and pouring out all the leaves onto the floor. Mr Threehorn stared at the green food with a open mouth.

"But…" Mr Threehorn started but he quickly shook his head, "Not the point. Where is Littlefoot?"

"He's at the base. Don't worry, he's safe and well with Wayne," Maxcien said as she emptied a few more sacks of leaves which Spike, unable to control himself anymore, pounced on the pile and helped himself.

"Looks like someone's already enjoying the meal," Maxcien smiled before returning to her vehicle. She sat down in the back seats with her head propped up on one side of the door and her feet on the other side.

"Wake me when you've finished snacking." With that, she grabbed a hat from under the seat and placed over her eyes, "always Mr Perfect Grant with the hat," Maxcien laughed as she settled herself to take a snooze.

"She's changed…" Ali said with a startled look, "she was no where near this nice or concerned before…" Ali said looking at Cera, Ducky and Petrie then Maxcien, trying to figure out reason for her change in attitude.

"Who cares, I'm hungry," Cera announced wandering over to the green food and taking a mouthful, "Mmm… they're great!"

"They might be but keep a eye on that human. I don't trust her… this change Ali speaks of can't be normal," Mr Threehorn spoke to them all before eating some himself. Ducky ran up to the leaf pile with Petrie flying into it to start eating.

"Yes, yes, yes! They're nice!" Ducky nodded taking a bite into the leaf with a smile on her face.

"Me no get why she nice, she took Wayne and Littlefoot…" Petrie said as he also took a bite and swallowed. He took a quick glance at Maxcien, "me no like her."

"I don't either… she changes too much and far too often…" Ali agreed slowly moving up to the leaves to join in. All the while, she was keeping her eyes fixed on Maxcien feeling that something was amiss.

As they ate, and Maxcien snoozed, Mr Threehorn had only eaten a little before coming up to the burning cars. He scanned the areas that had been ablaze a few moments ago.

"What trick is this? There's no fire at the place of the large thick flames. These humans are getting less trusting by the second and I am thinking that that boy is going to cause more problems then solve." Mr Threehorn growled with anger before ramming his head into one of the cars sending it into a slide. The car flipping around smashing into pieces before coming to a rest a few hundred yards away in a heap of twisted metal.

"Stupid humans! Making a mess of everything!"

"Yes, the human race is plain stupid. Since they made a mess of this planet before the Garlertic Earthquake," Maxcien's voice came from a few metres away just to Mr Threehorn's right. He took a glance at the army officer with a cold stare.

"So your not denying that you humans are not causing problems in our world!" Mr Threehorn bellowed at Maxcien with a strong and sneering tone taking a step towards her where Maxcien stood with her arms crossed.

"I can see your temper is raging out of control so I will tell you straight. The human race has made massive mistakes and us going to your time and era has escalated the problem. Chi-Sanner had used some technique to make me and eight others do things we didn't want to do like build the Chrono Cannon, fire a missile strike on your era, take Wayne and Littlefoot hostage." Maxcien said to Mr Threehorn who was now slightly confused. From what he had seen the humans do and what Maxcien was now saying was all contradictory.

"But now we want to repair as much of the damage as possible. Wayne and Littlefoot are no longer hostages so I will take you all to the base for safety and finally send you all home. That's what we will do and then destroy the Cannon. If I break this promise, you can have all the fun you like in breaking my bones. Deal?" Maxcien put out of hand towards Mr Threehorn with a serious look on her eyes.

"You're really going to let me do that? I don't think so," Mr Threehorn growled.

"I am a woman of my word, didn't I let Ali free?" Maxcien asked potently. Mr Threehorn gave a nod.

"So I mean what I mean. If I break the deal in any way, you can crush me." Maxcien walked around the large Triceratops until she was right in front of the angry creature, "So do we have a deal? Or are you chicken?" Maxcien mocked dangerously.

"Chick-chicken?" Mr Threehorn quibbled over the word and wondering what this word meant. Then, after a second, he picked up on her mocking tone which made him snap,

"WHAT? I AM NO COWARD!" Mr Threehorn lashed out at Maxcien she simply stood then waving a hand in front of her.

"Geez your breath stinks," Maxcien said in a disdainful tone.

"I will accept your DEAL; not because you called me a coward, only because you're a adult and should know that deal is a deal," Mr Threehorn told Maxcien sternly allowing him to calm down a little but he still grumbling under his breath that he seemed to be giving in to a lower life form's requests.

"Oh you finally know I am a fully grown human? Ha! That is a laugh," Maxcien smirked brushing her hair back with a hand.

"What?" Cera came up with the others looking at Maxcien.

"Your fully grown Maxcien?" Ali looked stunned at the human adult.

"Yes, humans don't grow as tall or as large as dinosaurs. The tallest human has been about 7 feet or maybe a little taller. No one's been bigger than that, it's how our genes are laid out that give us our traits. Since we are creative and imaginative, it makes humans so unique to this world," Maxcien told them taking a knife out of its sheath showing its sharpness before putting it back; she similarly showed off her handgun to them before placing it back in its holder.

"What she say?" Petrie asked looking confused and Spike showed a confused face.

"I think she said that humans can make things from imagination," Ducky said uncertainly placing a clawed finger on her beak, "I think." Maxcien couldn't help but clap a few times before walking up to Ducky and crouching right down in front of her.

"For a little girl, you sure gave the perfect and understandable answer," Maxcien said to Ducky but she wasn't paying attention. She had seen something she really liked on Maxcien's wrist.

"Oh yes, yes, yes. It is the sticky thing! Can I play with it? Please!" Ducky pointed at the watch really excited. Maxcien removed her watch and handed it to Ducky watching the little dinosaur pull the Velcro strap apart and then together again giggling as she did it.

"O…k…" Maxcien said silently getting up leaving Ducky to play around with the strap, "I will get my jeep and we will head…"

"We're not going anywhere!" a voice ordered.

"Why?" Petrie asked looking at Cera.

"Because I haven't finished eating!" Cera snorted taking a step at Petrie making him fall off Ali and onto the ground with yelp.

"Fine Miss Bossy-boots," Maxcien said placing her hands on her hips looking at Cera.

"What did you say?" Cera raised her voice at Maxcien.

"Oh nothing," Maxcien laughed, she walked away from them to the jeep.

Cera gave Maxcien a dark, cold look, she had been back-chatted way too much of late and it was getting to her a lot.

"I swear, the next one to backchat me will give them a present they will never forget!" Cera growled and sneered before going back to the pile of food.

"Is Cera like this at times?" Ali asked with some concern.

"Yes and it will pass," Mr Threehorn told the little longneck nearby, "mmm… maybe I can ram another of these weird rocks. I don't like to sound like a child but it kind of fun and stress relieving." Mr Threehorn turned towards a car giving a snort as he pawed his front foot along the ground, kicking up dust before giving a Triceratops roar and ramming another car. The car slid and barrel rolled bouncing on the ground a few times before smashing into a twisted rusty wreck close to the first one.

"Did me hear right?" Petrie looked at Ducky with surprise.

"Oh yes, yes, yes. I heard him say fun! He did, he did!" Ducky said also rather surprised.

"I guess this gives him something better to do then yell at us," Ali said, "I hate the yelling…" Ali spoke a little fearful of Mr Threehorn.

"I'm done. Maxcien, when you're ready to lead us to this base place…" Cera said walking up to them. The jeep pulled up slowly behind her with Maxcien behind the wheel.

"Right," Mr Threehorn said losing his smile but keeping a strong, cold face, "lead the way."

"Gladly," Maxcien said pushing a bit more power into the jeep and steering through the gap she made earlier between the burned out cars. The jeep and group of dinosaurs started to make their way past the motorway and across the dusty, reddish, wastelands. The warm air from the lava kept the ground cracked and half destroyed hills in place. Even with the wettest of weathers had minimal effect on the dead land that Maxcien, Mr Threehorn, Ali, Cera, Petrie and Spike travel on towards the rogue base.


	38. Chapter 37: The Shadows

**Chapter 37: The Shadows**

Wayne and Littlefoot had left the barracks coming up to the place where, only the night before, bodies were everywhere, but this morning there was none. Only the sight of two men on top of the two towers. The problem that Wayne and Littlefoot had now was finding the right building. All of them looked almost identical so differences to each one but still having a whitish and greyish look to them.

"Erm which one Wayne?" Littlefoot asked looking around at the buildings totally lost.

"How am I supposed to know?" Wayne mumbled as he started for a large door to one building, "Maybe this one?" Littlefoot took a look at the building with a rounded roof and two large doors that took up about five sixths of the front of the building,

"Are you sure Wayne?"

"No I am not sure, but it's better guessing then standing here like lemons," Wayne said getting closer. Littlefoot stood still wondering what Wayne just said so sarcastically.

"I'm not a lemon, whatever that is, I am a longneck" Littlefoot replied back following Wayne towards the building. He stopped for a moment, lifting a front foot up and rubbed it against his other front leg,

"This hard floor hurts my feet. Why can't they have soft ground like the Great Valley?" Littlefoot whined hoping Wayne would hear but he was too far ahead. Realising how far behind he was, Littlefoot took off after Wayne with his feet starting to feel a bit sore.

Wayne found the doors and opened it a crack so he could squeeze his head through to take a look but the entire place was cloaked in darkness. He was about to venture in further but the sound of Littlefoot trying to squeeze through made Wayne turn around facing Littlefoot.

"Do you need a hand?" Wayne asked taking hold of Littlefoot's front feet and giving a pull. Littlefoot slipped through with Wayne losing his balance and fell over. Littlefoot was launched heads over heels over the top of Wayne where he landing on his back and slid to a stop with his back feet on something solid.

"Huh?" Littlefoot hummed pushing himself back a bit flipping around onto his four feet looking at the solid object, but due to the darkness, he couldn't see it clearly. Placing a foot on it, it felt cold to touch and it clanged as his clawed toes came into contact with it.

"Wayne. I found some cold thing in front of me," Littlefoot called. Wayne came up to Littlefoot after picking himself up and touched it for himself, "what do you think it is?"

"I haven't got a cl…" Wayne started. Suddenly, beams of light shot out from the object.

"AHHH!" Wayne and Littlefoot screamed jumping back in fright and closing their eyes temporarily blinded by the sharpness of the light.

"Turn those head lights down a bit!" a male voice called out.

"Alright give me a sec!" a female voice replied back and the lights dimming down.

As Wayne and Littlefoot's visions came back in focus, they saw two people standing their also in white coats. They were both wearing white shirts under their coats, blackish trousers and trainers on. One of them had long hair and the other short hair both ginger.

"Oh sorry for the testing of our lights on the unit. My name is Alan," the first spoke up.

"And I am his sister, Alice. This is our project and you're the first two to see it finally completed," Alice said with a proud smile walking over to a wall placing a hand on a switch.

"My name is Littlefoot! Nice to meet you!" Littlefoot beamed at them with a cheerful smile. Wayne looked up shaking his head a bit.

"My name is Wayne…" he spoke with an uneasy calmness to his voice looking at Alice.

"We planning to use this to destroy the main HQ of Tri-MacRock-Labs after we destroy this base," Alan said which made Wayne and Littlefoot's jaws drop in shock.

"Whoa time out!" Wayne shouted waving his hands a bit, "What do you mean destroy this place?"

"Grant… that idiot! He didn't tell you…" Alice sighed turning the lights on lighting the large hanger-like building up. Wayne and Littlefoot looking around fixing their eyes on a very large object in front of them, "after we send all the dinosaurs back, we're going to go on a frontal attack on the HQ." Alice walked up to the side of vehicle, "We named it the 'Shine X Unit'. Our masterpiece."

"Indeed it is Alice," Alan agreed with a wide smile.

"Whoa stop! Hang on a second," Wayne shouted at them, "are you saying that in a day or two… Littlefoot and the others will… go home?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?" Alice replied.

"Yes you did," Alan verified standing alongside Alice, "now, if your looking for the Professor, go through that door over there; it will lead you two straight to the labs without needing to go through the keycode door." Alan pointed to the door.

"We have a lot of work to do on this and we can't be interrupted at this point," Alice said pointing as well.

"Thanks…" Wayne said turning to walk towards the door without a backwards glance. Littlefoot looked at Wayne, then Alice and Alan.

"Sorry about that… he don't trust you all, but I kinda see his reason why. You all did start the weird things in our Valley right?" Littlefoot said to the twins.

"Don't worry about…"

"It's perfectly fine."

"Oh and thank you for destroying that super large flying rock. If it hit, I wouldn't be talking to you now," Littlefoot beamed once more but Wayne started calling his name, "see you later!" With that, Littlefoot took off to the door that Wayne was stood by. Alice and Alan looked at each other with shocked faces.

"Did he say…"

"Super sized, flying rock…" Alan finished feeling a bit unease by those words, "could he mean the one that…"

"No, he couldn't but…" Alice slurred. Neither was unable to finish off what they wanted to say; shock growing in their eyes.

"Let's look in the books!" Alice said all of a sudden. Alan nodded in agreement, both of them quickly opening the door into the massive vehicle entering it in a hurry.

Meanwhile, Helienson was working on the results of the autopsies that Alice and Alan completed in the early hours of the morning. He was studying the cause of death and discovered that they had all died from some kind of neural shock from a massive oversurge of brain impulses that killed off corresponding sections of the brain within a matter of milliseconds.

"The Attack… was all of a sudden… the fear on their faces was from whatever conducted those neural shocks through the air," Helienson reported into a microphone typing up some text at the same time. He stopped for a second taking a look to the right at another screen showing a wire-frame model of the nano-chips then he turned back to the report filling out his own one.

"Why am I even bothering?" Helienson muttered looking at his report. "Oh right, now I remember. I am keeping this as a record to show what happened here…" Helienson said to himself as he resumed typing the final report. Helienson stopped once more remembering the soldier he shot when he was called 'crazy'. Now he was regretting it; that and all the other deaths he did under his weapon. Helienson placed both hands over his face.

"I am so ashamed… I killed those people… made them do things under my orders… for 30 years I killed people for power. Now I have dinosaur blood on my hands…" Helienson felt a depression falling over him and he reached down to his holder finding no gun there, "Maxcien… why couldn't you let me die… I can't bare this…" Helienson started to sob with tears falling. He couldn't hold them back anymore seeing all the terrible things he did when he was under the influence of the brainwashing.

"Are you ok?" a voice said from the far side of the lab. Helienson turned around to see a little dinosaur standing there alongside the boy that he had tried to turn into a dinosaur when this kid was first in the lab.

"No sadly, I am not ok… soon that will never matter…" Helienson stood up walking over to them passing the table with the machine arm and two bottles next to a needle. He stopped looking at the rod.

"If only this way would help me… maybe it my only way out…" Helienson said leading Wayne and Littlefoot down a path of confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Wayne questioned Helienson.

"We're at a point of crisis… in just three years, two worlds have been hit by my madness and finally broke out of the control. I can't do anything to repair the damage… before my death," Helienson spoke frankly with a disturbed look on his face.

"What? Whoa, time out! What are you talking about?" Wayne yelped forming a T shape with his hand and staring at Helienson, "you asked us here for something."

"Oh yes I remember. Wayne, do you remember when you was here last?" Helienson walked towards Wayne and Littlefoot.

"Yes… you tried using those things to turn me into a dinosaur for me being so nosey," Wayne said. He felt a bit disturbed remembering such a memory and began to back away a bit.

"Huh? What? How?" Littlefoot blinked with a blank and lost look. Helienson shook his head coming right close to them and looking at both them.

"That's what I didn't ask you to come here for; that is what happened in the past."

Helienson turned away walking up to a chair by a table full of different coloured liquids inside it. Sitting down, he waved his hand over signalling Littlefoot and Wayne to come closer.

"I have asked you two here to tell you all I know before my time is up… these people who put me under this mind control for so long let me go because the effects have left me for dead… they corrupt the body's central nervous system damaging it severely. Being affected by the brainwashing, I too will suffer the same fate, my central nervous system will shut down completely resulting in my death," Helienson said looking at the scans of the soldiers, "I only know this because I am no longer mentally stable and the deaths of the soldiers were a quick result of this once the discharge hit."

"You can't be serious! Is there anything to cure this? Like that super stuff Seiclaterincen?" Wayne suggested.

"No, Seiclaterincen will not help me… it's to cure illness, and aid in the healing of bones and cuts… not for the brain. The brain is a unique organ, no one has ever been able to solve how it truly works," Helienson shook his head taking hold of a bottle, examined the liquid inside it before opening it and placing some of it in a glass mug.

"What's make the brain die?" Littlefoot asked with a quizzing voice.

"I see someone's always interesting in the new," Helienson smiled looking over at Littlefoot standing there on his four feet with a very curious face desperate to learn more. "The brain, my young friend, is what makes you think, talk, walk, behave, response, make you feel, controls your emotions, stores you memories and everything else to do to make a person live. It's what you call the life force of that creation. The heart wouldn't work without your brain but yet, your brain needs your heart. It's a continuous cycle, one cannot survive without the other. Without one or the other, they will not work and you will die," Helienson explained putting a finger to Littlefoot's head.

"Wow I have a brain! I never knew that!" Littlefoot beamed with Helienson chuckling a bit seeing the childish happiness on Littlefoot's face.

"You always had one Littlefoot, it's always been there since you were born," Helienson said with a smooth voice rubbing his hand over Littlefoot's head before turning back to another bottle picking it up and tipping some into the same mug.

"And your saying this brainwashing has damaged your brain that slowly, your mind is shutting down," Wayne said coming over to the left side Helienson looking at the bottles, not placing his eyes on the Professor.

"Yes… they knew that this would happen and they let me go because I am no longer needed and nor are the others. But they where lucky, the brainwashing hasn't done any damage to them," Helienson replied putting a third liquid in the mug.

"So listen carefully to what I have to say," Helienson said putting a little glass stick in the mug spinning it around, "I will tell you two as much as I can about the Shadow Project… since my boy, your father, was involved with it thirteen years ago; when it all began."

"What? My father?" Wayne turned his eyes upon the old man looking horrified, "I never knew him… I never met him," Wayne said with a sadden look on his face.

"Nigel Longston. He left your family when you was born. He left to protect you and your mother. You see, if he didn't, you and your mum would have been killed," Helienson said to Wayne finishing the string of the liquid, "he started the project and that's when I built those nano chips. The smallest but most powerful little devices in the world." Helienson picked the glass mug up, walking over to Littlefoot kneeling down in front of him.

"What is that?" Littlefoot asked looking at the concoction in the glass mug, "It looks like water at it clearest." Littlefoot took a sniff and pulled back a bit, "Yuck! That smells horrible!" Littlefoot placed a front foot over his noise disgusted by the smell.

"It's a little something I made up to help you understand what I am going to say. Sub-genetics is my number one specialties. Don't worry, this liquid is harmless but the effects will let you understand the…" Helienson felt a hand on his wrist looking up he saw Wayne.

"Keep your stuff away from him! Are you forgetting that Littlefoot is going home soon?" Wayne scorned taking hold of the mug and throwing it into the wall where is smashed to pieces with the liquid dripping down the surface. Littlefoot flinched a little but understood why Wayne was so concerned.

"Wayne is right sir," Littlefoot said to Helienson in a pleasant voice.

"So right and I am so wrong…" Helienson sighed standing up and then walking over to machine arm, "the Shadow Project is to find the place to control reality and time as a whole. This project has been going on for thirteen years now and it's coming to its climax. All headquarters needs now, is the last nano chip… they already have two of them." Helienson said with a stricken face seeing one in Wayne's hand sparking.

"You clever little boy, so you had it all along. Keep it safe and out of the hands of the Black Raptor. She will be after that gem my boy, and she will be back to claim it," Helienson warned Wayne and then noticed the shocked and frighten faces on him and Littlefoot, "What is it?"

"We dreamt about it! We saw this Black Raptor in our dreams, killing this O'Neil guy and…DOC! She is going to kill Doc Wayne!" Littlefoot said worryingly.

"And the dream also had me as a Triceratops…" Wayne said with a freaked out tone.

"Looks like these dreams are going to happen in the future. You both had premonitions because of the unstable affects of the Chrono Cannon," Helienson said putting a finger on his chin, walking away from them and back again, pacing up and down.

"What do you mean? Are you saying Wayne is going to become a Threehorn? That's impossible! No creation can change like that," Littlefoot said with a openly denied voice. For once, getting an impression that seeing a human change into that of human to a Threehorn would be truly impossible to happen to anyone.

"Sadly it isn't," Wayne muttered.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Littlefoot turned his head to Wayne. Helienson coughed making Littlefoot turn and look at him.

"You see, it's no longer an impossibility. This machine…" (he points to the machine arm with the needle and two tubes) "…and this…" (he points to the rod) "…will be able to change the genetic structure of a human to that of a Brontosaurus or a Triceratops. In term you'd understand, one of your kind and threehorn was it?" Littlefoot's face dropped with shock hearing that looking at Helienson.

"That's not right! You can't do that! It's not right at all!" Littlefoot shouted at Helienson with disgust. He suddenly felt very sick.

"I know, that's why it's never been used," Helienson said putting a hand on the rod, "I built it but never will use it. But sadly, I have used the new sample around."

"On who?" Wayne asked precariously. His heart skipped a beat when he found Helienson's eyes locked onto him.

"You Wayne… before the day we were freed from the brainwashing, you were given a injection of a sample and if you were hit by the discharge from this, you will become a Triceratops. But not to worry, it will never happen" Helienson walked away from the rod to Wayne.

"You jerk!" Wayne screamed pushing him away, "I knew you hadn't changed!" Wayne spat in the Professor's face in pure disgust.

"I have but this is what is true. If the Shadow Project is complete, the world that they are after will open and they will take over the whole world in time and space," Helienson said sitting back on his chair wiping his face.

"Whatever!" Wayne grunted giving him cold glare. He was about to storm out the lab when Helienson throw the rod at him and he caught it, "Why the hell are you giving me this?"

"Because… it's your choice if you want it completed or not, not mine," Helienson spoke calmly even after what Wayne said, "I only can tell you the truth of what I done and for that… I am sorry."

"What was that Shadow Project then?" Littlefoot asked changing the subject to allowing the tension in the room to drop.

"To find the world that no one can see… I know it's a story that is in our time and your time. It's called none other then the 'Mysterious World'. It is the only name it is known by," Helienson said to Littlefoot, "when the final program is activated, it will form two doubles of the original cannon in two other time zones, all targeting points in time which will then open a hole to the Mysterious World, however…" Helienson didn't get a chance to finish when Alan and Alice burst into the lab with lots of books in their arms throwing them on a empty table.

"Professor take a look at this!" Alice squeaked in a high-pitched voice of amazement.

"This is really important sir!" Alan said straight after Alice with a same oddly panicked voice. Helienson got up and went over to them with Wayne and Littlefoot close behind.

"Well, what is it?" Helienson asked taking a book and flipping through the pages seeing that they were all blank, "Is this a joke? This book is blank!" Helienson said rather annoyed.

"Look on the side and front cover," Alice said panting a bit. Helienson looked at the front where it read, 'The End of the Dinosaurs'. A book which he had read a few times himself.

"What the?" Helienson flipped through it again still seeing blank pages, "Right, tell me why there no information on theories how the dinosaurs died off sixty-five million years ago?" Helienson looked at them with a I-want-to-know-now look on his face.

"We blew up the rock that did it!" Alan begun.

"The little dinosaur witnessed it!" Alice finished, they both pointed at Littlefoot.

"Oh sh…" Helienson almost cursed before looking at Littlefoot and then the twins, "Do you realise what we have done?" Helienson shouted, "If we destroy both cannons, a large time ripple will start from the dinosaur time and hit here in this time changing the face of this timeline!" Helienson said falling on his knees then backside placing his hands over his face.

"We messed up real bad!" Alice said dropping the book on the table.

"Yes we have, we saved the dinosaurs from the rock which was meant to kill them all off…" Alan said as he placed the other book on the table.

"What?" Littlefoot looked surprised, "That large weird human object saved the Great Valley from the large falling rock!" Littlefoot started to get excited at this point "You made things go wrong but you saved us all! Thank you! You're a hero to all dinosaurs!" Littlefoot beamed with a bright light in his eyes looking at Helienson with a wide smile and joy in his soul.

"Maybe we are Littlefoot but all the humans have a unknown future… even Wayne. You see, us destroying that rock will change this reality by tenfold. In this time, when both cannons as destroyed," Helienson said to Littlefoot with a distorted face.

"What do you mean?" Littlefoot lost his smile and joyfulness in a split second looking at Wayne who looked all stressed.

"In the words of the professor, after sixty-five minutes, when the second is destroyed, this timeline will disappear like shadows do when light touches them…" Alice said as basically as he could.

"And at the moment, with the cannons still here in this time, we live in a shadow of the timeline which the rock did hit and killed the dinosaurs off," Alan spoke after his sister both giving a basic term to the events taken place. Littlefoot was lost in the words, he heard all what they said but it was confusing.

"Great! Good job! You jerk of an idiot! Look what you've done! I am stuck with this wondering what to do and hearing that WE all are in the dirt! Just great! Thank you for the information!" Wayne shouted getting really worked up placing the rod in his backpack placing it over his back, "If you don't mind I need some air." Wayne walked to the door and left the lab with a really distorted face.

"Oh god… I have don… d…" Helienson stood up feeling weakened looking at them. "Littlefoot… leave… please." Helienson said to the young dinosaur. Littlefoot gave a nod feeling that he needed to find Wayne and talk to him about what the twins had said. He left and Helienson looked at Alan and Alice.

"My time is… n-now… you two complete the mission" Helienson felt his head becoming cloudy.

"We will sir," Alan said.

"It's our duty…" Alice nodded. They both saluted.

"Good… luck…" Helienson said finally before taking a gasp of air and collapsing. His central nervous system had finally shut down terminating all body functions. He fell silently to the ground with his eyes closed and with a natural expression knowing this was going to happen. Alice and Alan stood side by side in tears. Walking over to him, they removed their white coats of placing them over him.

"Rest in peace Professor…" they whispered together weakly looking upon the silent figure with sadden eyes. Their Professor had finally given up the fight to live on. They silently wish, in their hearts, the best for Helienson and promising themselves they will not fail the old man.


	39. Chapter 38: The Open Fields

**Chapter 38: The Open Fields**

Night was slowly descending over the land of the Great Valley. It had been three days since the weird light shining over the area where the disappearing of the children and one adult had occurred. Silence filled the air around the parents of those children who had disappeared before their eyes. They all herded to the area of the Great Valley but to make matters worse, the area had already been inhabited by a migrating herd of longnecks who had arrived in the Great Valley. Grandpa and Grandma Longneck approached the herd as they arrived in the Great Valley with the old and wise one of the herd leading them as last time.

"Welcome back to the Great Valley wise one," Grandma greeted the old longneck as she and the others came to a stop.

"I wish it was a nice welcome but we here because of…" the wise one started but Ali's mother pushed pass her to interrupt looking rather distressed.

"Has Ali come here? Please say she has," Ali's mother said desperately.

"No, we haven't seen her," Grandpa said with a sadden tone, "we were going to ask if you had seen Littlefoot or any the children with Mr Threehorn."

"I see. It has happened to you too. A new creature took Ali from her mother," the wise one said to them, looking at the land and noting the damage to the trees and the rocky sides had collapsed, "the dark storm has hit here as well I see."

"Yes it has wise one…" Grandma replied looking at the damage as well, "but soon after that, a bright circle appeared before our Littlefoot, his friends and Mr Threehorn all disappearing into it. All we could do was watch helplessly as it happened." Suddenly, something happened that spooked all the longnecks.

"What is that?" the wise one said deeply, looking at a bluish circle form until it was as tall as the longnecks themselves. A strong wind blew out of it along with small bluish lines shooting towards the opening from inside, spreading out to the rims.

"We have no idea; this is new to us…" Grandma said realising that it was in the same location where the children first vanished.

Soon, there was a gathering of all types of dinosaurs at the location of the migration herd all chattering nervously about the strange phenomenon before them. Everyone stood wondering what it was, how it was got there as they listened to the sound of the gale force winds billowing out except there wasn't really a wind coming from it.

"Grandma, I think we should keep everyone away from this. It doesn't look safe," Grandpa suggested. The wise one gave a nod and turned to her herd as Grandpa spoke to Grandma.

"Agreed Grandpa. Until we know what it is, no one goes near it. We'll all take turns in staying here to keep an eye on it for anything stranger that might occur," Grandma said loud enough for all to hear and everyone gave a nod.

"If that's so, when it's my turn, I want someone to look after my children," Ducky's mum said looking at the little swimmers near her.

"I don't think herds with children should be required to stand and watch," Grandpa said, "that would be unfair to ask of such a thing." They all nodded again in agreement but no one seemed to want to volunteer to stand guard first so Grandpa spoke up, "I will be the first, then it will be Grandma next and then the next tallest one and so on." After a few minutes discussion everyone nodded again.

"We agree to that. It would be fair for the non-children herd to do this," a clubtail said to Grandpa. Wise one looked at all the Great Valley dinosaurs and then Grandpa,

"We will only allow two from our herd to do the watch as well. Other than that, we will stay away from this by staying at the lower meadows," the old longneck spoke out as she started to move with the rest of the herd. Two volunteers stayed behind; one of them was Ali's mother.

"Is there a reason for you staying behind?" Grandpa asked Ali's mother coming up to her with Grandma.

"Yes. I am staying close to the route we took to get in the Great Valley. I just hope that by some chance… my daughter Ali will arrive," Ali's mother replied as she turned her head to look at the cliff entrance with stern eyes. Grandma laughed softly. "Grandpa and I are doing to same. Hoping that somehow, our grandson Littlefoot will come home with all the others… we feel slightly at ease that he's with Mr Threehorn. He should be safe as will the others."

"Putting faith in a threehorn? I wouldn't…" Ali's mother disagreed.

"We knew Mr Threehorn since before we even arrived in the valley. We travelled alongside him and other dinosaurs like the swimmers, flyers, threehorns and many others. We all worked together as one herd to get here. I believe Mr Threehorn is a good sort and will protect the children from danger," Grandpa told her with a soft tone. They talked not too far from the area that was now restricted since the blue circle had formed over a wide area near the Great Valley wall. It wasn't too far from one of a few entrances left to get into the Great Valley by wandering herds.

Down into the blue light, down a long tunnel of white shooting particles by passing as the view came a calm centre with all around the particles circled in a large semi circle with only two points the route going down to the one that was to get there went with the particles till came to the other point seeing a large metal platform below and in the distance seven buildings with a large wall a gate and two towers. In the background dark clouds cover some of the clear blue sky letting lightning strikes off.

Meanwhile, back in the human world, Wayne was walking slowly away from the lab complex kicking a stone. He felt lost trying to think back to the points where he did things right. Closing his eyes, faded images appearing whole for a second then disappearing one after the other. He saw himself lose the battle to save his mum from falling down into the deep underground, the time he ran from those gangs that gave chase through the ruins of Liverpool and the museum that was mainly intact then he saw it in a massive blaze. The set was that of him fleeing from inside the complex when the Professor and Maxcien were trying to stop him from leaving and taking a try on his life itself, then he saw those missiles hitting and him saving Littlefoot, meeting Doc for the first time, scared out of his mind seeing Mr Threehorn and seeing Cera stop him from jumping off the edge. Wayne opened his eyes and looked at the Chrono Cannon just in front of him. As he looked up at the towering structure, he laughed lightly,

"I guess Doc was right all along. Everyone has a purpose in life… even if it seems to be a dull one," Wayne put his finger tips on his forehead, "just need to find the right path." Wayne looked to the right towards the platform and saw the blue circle. Grant came up to Wayne approaching from the left.

"I see you noticed a new type of time portal," Grant spoke with Wayne turning to look at him. Grant walked around Wayne to a panel near the Cannon itself and opened it up with a key.

"What are you doing?" Wayne asked looking over Grant's shoulder at the controls, switches and a keyboard on the panel. Grant smirked as he started working on the panel, typing on the keyboard and flicking a few switches.

"I am making sure that this new type of time rift is stable for travelling to the Great Valley," Grant told him however Littlefoot was not too far behind and he overheard the conversation.

"Really?" Littlefoot beamed making Wayne swing around looking at the little longneck standing a few feet away. Grant laughed a little,

"Yes of course. We're keeping to what we said and that's to get you all home," Grant said with a smile not taking his eyes off the panel as he spoke.

"That good to know… if you had a family there…" Wayne trailed off thinking how his father could have left him and his mum for working at Tri-MacRock-Labs and also starting the project that allowed the crisis to begin in the first place.

"Pardon ki… Oh I see…" Grant said remembering Wayne's last name and the project leader, "Look, if it make you feel any better…"

"What there to feel better about? My own dad is an evil, no- good, good-for-nothing madman whose only drive was to gain power!" Wayne yelled at Grant raising a fist,

"He started the project but got himself killed trying to stop it," Grant said with his eyes on Wayne's raised fist. As Wayne lowered it looking sad, he dropped his head. "He realised that the project would endanger this base. I was there before I was subdued by the brainwashing. Your father went to delete everything on the project and that's when he was shot in the back of the head," Grant explained.

"Mum and now dad… am I alone? No family?" Wayne said weakly, his eyes half closed focused on the ground with tears starting to follow. Grant half turned and looked at Wayne with an unsure face. He opened his mouth to say something but he couldn't think of anything to say. Littlefoot walked up beside Wayne and turning his neck around a bit so he could see his face.

"But Wayne, you're not alone. You have friends and that's me, Cera, Spike, Ducky and Petrie…" Littlefoot said trying to bring a smile to Wayne's face.

"Thanks Littlefoot… but friendship isn't enough for me…" Wayne mumbled turning away to head towards the area between the buildings.

"Wayne…" Littlefoot called after him but Grant stepped in.

"Let him go… he needs time…" he said placing a hand on Littlefoot's head gently for a second. Littlefoot gave a sad nod and then noticed something with the large double gates. As a crack appeared in the middle and the doors slowly started to open.

"Ah, the gates are opening… they have arrived at last," Grant said.

"Wayne look! The gate objects… it's moving!" Wayne looked up from the ground and saw what Littlefoot was calling about. The gates were opening which only meant one thing… the others had arrived and Maxcien had managed to get them to come without much trouble.

The gates opened inwards and, from where Wayne was stood, he saw a jeep coming in slowly followed by Mr Threehorn, Petrie, Spike, Ali, Ducky and Cera.

"Cera! Petrie! Spike! Ducky! Ali!" Littlefoot yelled racing past Wayne to meet them. Wayne stood there watching them greet each other but he just shook his head and turned away to walk towards the barracks. Cera noticed Wayne walking away from them and called out to him,

"Wayne?" Without another word, Cera took off into a run, heading to the building that Wayne entered.

"Cera! Come back here!" Mr Threehorn bellowed at her and she came to a stop before turning around to look at her father.

"But Daddy, something's bothering him. I want to know what it is," Cera said back at her father

"I… oh alright go…" Mr Threehorn sighed giving in, "go talk to him, just don't wander around in this human valley, it's unsafe," Mr Threehorn told her straight.

"I will Daddy!" Cera smiled and turned away to head towards the barracks. Maxcien climbed out the jeep.

"You are perfectly right and no one's to go near or in the command centre, lab complex, main hanger and the Chrono Cannon," she ordered pointing to the buildings and the Chrono Cannon.

"Why do you name them? They look like straight long rocks," Ali wandered looking at them, "is that Chrono carronmaking those bright lights that hit the smoke flies?" Ali turned her eyes on the Chrono Cannon looking at the coils pulse at a fast rate. Maxcien smiled then lost it just as quickly as she looked at the giant structure.

"Yes and the cause of so much chaos. By tomorrow, it will be destroyed and you all will be home."

"Home! Me finally see mama again!" Petrie flapped his wings with joy flying up in the air.

"Oh yes, yes, yes. It will, it will!" Ducky giggled with Spike licking her making her giggle some more with a happy smile.

"Yeah, I guess, but what will happen to the humans in this time?" Littlefoot said getting everyone's eyes fixed on him.

"What do you mean Littlefoot?" Ali asked as she moved alongside him and turned to face him.

"Alice and Alan, two of Mr Helienson's tech-whats-its said that when both of those cannons go, their time will vanish and be replaced by a new one," Littlefoot said to them, "and it's because they save the Great Valley from that large flying rock." Mr Threehorn looked at Maxcien,

"That thing saved the Great Valley?"

"I believe so…" Maxcien shrugged, "but it's best if you all ask the technician twins about it since they're the ones that told Littlefoot here." Maxcien spoke to them telling them all, in small but finite detail, about the remaining group in the base and in response, they threw back a ton of questions including a very angry look from Mr Threehorn. She knew that Mr Threehorn had a hard core and it was impossible to break, especially by her. Maxcien decided to show them around keeping as much of a distance from the large Triceratops as possible. He was still giving her an untrusting look but having she did have some support from Ali, who seemed to be open for asking questions more then anyone else.

Meanwhile, Cera entered the barracks. Pushing the door open, she slowly stepped in placing a front foot on the hard cold surface.

"More cold hard floor?" Cera mumbled walking further in where she found herself wandering down a corridor, "What's wrong with the dusty, muddy ground or the grass?" Cera turned her head looking at the colour on the green-tinted, white wall but she didn't watch where she was walking and she hit two double doors with a smack.

"OW!" Cera winced backing up and shaking her head before glaring at the door, "You want to play? I will give you play!" Cera growled making a run to the doors ramming her head into it making them fly open. Barging inside, she came to a sliding stop and looked back at the opening she had made. The doors were nowhere to be seen, the hinges ripped off the walls. Cera heard laughter and turning to her right, she found Wayne sitting on the bed in a giggling fit.

"Hey! What's so funny?" Cera snapped at him and all she got was him pointing to something in front of her. She looked to see both doors lying in pieces on a bunk bed.

"If we need… ha ha ha… someone to… ha ha ha… ram the… ha ha ha… door… ha ha ha… down… ha ha ha… you got the job…" Wayne fell on his back laughing loudly trying to catch his breath in between each howl. Cera felt her face flush hot with embarrassment.

"I guess I have that thing which all threehorns do." Finally calming down, Wayne jumped off the bed.

"Well you do and nothing can get rid of it," Wayne said walking over to the pieces, picking some of them up, "Geez! You do have a powerful hit! I wouldn't want to get in the way of that."

"Oh gee… please stop! You're embarrassing me…" Cera said shying away pawing the ground sheepishly.

"How can I? None of the others are here," Wayne said looking over at her, "plus, the way things are with me… there's not much of a life I have." Wayne's voice lowered as he looked back at the wood before dropping it on the floor. Cera lost the shyness and looked at Wayne.

"Oh don't go there again!" Cera said rolling her eyes, "I will not let you go to the point of killing yourself because of what you say humans are." Wayne turned his body around so he was now facing her.

"It's not that Cera…"

"Then what is it?" Cera asked looking at him with genuine concern. Wayne sat down on the cold floor throwing the piece of wood to the side.

"It's… my dad. I found out that he started this whole thing off in the first place. He tried to stop it but only ended up getting himself killed… so now I have nothing to live for… no family for me… no parents… I am well and truly alone," Wayne said with tears forming in the corners of his eyes. He dropped his gaze down to the floor to avoid Cera's eyes.

Cera took the steps she needed to be right in front of him.

"Wayne… that's not true. You're not alone…" Cera said in a kind voice which Wayne had never heard. He slowly raised his head at her speechless, "No one's really alone if they have very close and great friends. Even though, we didn't get along at the start, and I gave those impressions of not liking you. But, you know, why would I come to stop you from jumping if I didn't think of you as a friend or maybe…" Cera turned away and said rather quietly the last of what she was saying "family".

She felt something pressed against her back and then saw, in the corner of her right eye, Wayne leaning around looking at her. Cera guessed that it was his hand on her back near her head.

"You know Cera… I would never believe you had such a soft side to you…" Wayne smiled and Cera swung around glaring at him.

"What? Me soft! Ha! That's a laugh!" Cera sneered at him and Wayne placed a finger on his lips and hushed her. She let the sneering drop, "Oh, I see… it's our little secret; and better be or you will be sorry!" She lowered her head a bit with her eyes drawn to an angry stare.

"Fine by me," Wayne smirked getting up off the floor and dusting his jeans off, "and oh, I am closer to your kind in a way you will never know possible," Wayne said walking out the large dormitory through the wide doorway that was now missing it's double doors.

"Huh? What? Hey come back here! Tell me. What do you mean?" Cera bellowed running after him trying to get to the bottom of what Wayne said to her. She too exited the dormitory leaving it, once more, empty and quiet.


	40. Chapter 39: A Night Shake

**Chapter 39: A Night Shake**

Deep in the wastelands was a trading post that stood not too far from fifteen volcano vents. These vents poured lava into a ditch which then travelled south and west, flowing down into a cavern. However, a small quake just shook the land and the vents had stopped flowing. People had gathered outside the trading post and were looking at the large mountains in front of them.

"What happened to the vents?" one man said with a stunned look.

"It's stopped flowing," another said soon feeling more rumbling, "We must leave!"

"We do nothing of the sort! The volcano has always been safe. There is no chance of all fifteen going up at once," a woman stepped forwards pushing the two men aside.

"But if they do… it will cause a 200 mile long pierowclasic flow that will wipe out everything within 500 miles west of this side of the lava cavern!" the first man said urgently. Everyone began getting worried talking frankly about it.

"What is the chance of that happening?" the woman asked with a frown.

"If the lava doesn't flow by tomorrow morning, about 3 hours after that max," the man said. Now, everyone was panicking; most deciding to take their chance to run for it by going back to the trading post.

"Come back here!" the woman shouted but no one listened. They were all to busy grabbing as much as they could carry and scurrying to safety, "Look! It will not happen!"

"We're not taking the chance!" a man burst out at her grabbing a bag. Within a few minutes, the lady was left alone watching the people who had put her in charge walk away into the night air, heading north. As the sea of people disappeared, she felt alone looking at the glowing mountains.

"There is no chance in hell that will happen… they're all fools…" she said into the night air listing to the roaring noise coming from the glowing peaks. A sound she was now very accustomed to.

Further away, about 430 miles west of the volcanoes by the cavern of lava, the base stood silent with lights illuminating the place. Two more beams of light scanned the outside land for anything odd. Maxcien was asleep, leaning back on a chair in the command centre with her feet up on a clear area beside the controls. Then, a small shake woke. She lost her balance and, waking up with a start, she fell backwards flat on her back with the toppled chair beneath her. Maxcien pulled herself up onto her feet holding her back.

"Damn my back," Maxcien moaned rubbing her spine. She suddenly stopped when she saw the seismic chart displayed a short, high-level earthquake reading. Picking up the sheet, she noticed this was the reading at the peaks.

"Great… first time sleeping peacefully and I have to take the chopper and check Volca Peaks…" Maxcien groaned picking up the chair and taking her jacket off it she put it on and walked out the double doors bumping into Janny on the other side.

'Where are you going? This is your shift for the command centre,' Janny said in sign language with a displeased expression on her face.

"I have to check those peaks out. This is the reason." Maxcien shows Janny the charts and Janny gave a nod, "So can you keep an eye on the centre while I am gone?"

'Sure I can, just don't be too long,' Janny replied in sign and then walked past Maxcien into the command centre.

Maxcien walked outside pulling a small packet from her pocket and opened it to find a lone cigarette there.

"Drat! One cig left. Might as well save it," Maxcien grunted and placed the box back in her pocket as she made her way to the main hanger. Kicking a loose stone, it bounced noisily on the hard surface before coming to a stop next to Ali who was sleeping beside Littlefoot, Cera, Mr Threehorn, Spike, Ducky and Petrie. Ali woke up with half opened eyes and lifted her head up to see Maxcien walking by.

"Huh? Where is she going?"

"Where's who going?" Littlefoot said in a sleepy tone lifting his head up, looking at Ali yawning.

"Maxcien. She's going to that hanger place," Ali said pointing her head at Maxcien who opened the doors to their fullest. That's when both Ali and Littlefoot saw the chopper. Watching Maxcien get into some type of yellow object nearby and turning it on, it pulled the chopper out of the hanger.

"Hey Littlefoot, why don't we sneak on that buzzing flyer?" Ali suggested looking at Littlefoot.

"I don't know Ali. She might get mad," Littlefoot replied in an unsure tone turning his head to face her. Ali stood up and gave him a nudge with her snout.

"Oh come on Littlefoot," Ali pleaded.

"Oh… oh alright I'll come," Littlefoot gave in as he stood up on his four feet. They both quickly ran to the chopper and climbed into the back as it moved out of the hanger without Maxcien noticing.

Maxcien stopped the yellow tow truck and got out to take the hook off the front of the chopper. She then walked around, closing the side doors of the chopper before climbing into the pilot seat. Maxcien took a deep breath not seeing Ali and Littlefoot behind her seat.

"This is going to be a long night… and I was just settling down too…" Maxcien flicked the switches before pulling a knob out which started the chopper propellers. The blades gradually picked up speed until they were moving at great speeds making a buzzing noise. Ali and Littlefoot felt their ears were going to hurt a lot but Littlefoot noticed that Maxcien had placed a helmet on her head which also covered her ears. Littlefoot then realised that there were two more in the back area. Picking one up with his mouth, he placed it on Ali's head. She was startled at first but quickly got the idea. The chopper took up, waking everyone up nearby as it went high above the base, heading due east.

"Ali… can you hear me?" Littlefoot asked. Maxcien, with a start, looked down a bit then up before going on with piloting the chopper. She thought she'd just heard Littlefoot's voice. But… that was impossible. Littlefoot was on the ground with the others.

"Yeah I can. It's clear and I can hear you with no buzzing," Ali said back. Startled, Maxcien turned her head and looked over her shoulder.

"What the hell!?" she shrieked making Ali and Littlefoot jump to their feet, "How did you two get in here!?"

"We wanted to see where you were going," Ali said with a guilty look.

"God, you two are impossible! Too damn curious for your own good…" Maxcien turned her head forwards looking where she was steering the chopper.

"Sorry Miss Maxcien, we can go back if you like," Littlefoot said bending his neck down looking at the steel floor.

"Sorry no can do. I will just have to take you two along for the ride. Just to warn you, this is going to be a two hour journey there and a two hour journey back to base," Maxcien told them, at first they smiled and gave small yells of joy.Then when they heard how long it would take, they were surprised that something that travelled so fast would take so long to reach this place.

"Where are we going?" Ali asked still very much curious.

"Volca Peaks. It fifteen volcanoes all active with lava flowing. But I have to take a look at the peaks since there was a seismic activity detected there which could mean problems," Maxcien explained to the two juvenile longnecks, "they are 437 miles from the base but they could still cause a problem if the seismic charts are right."

"Seis…mic? What's that?" Littlefoot asked just as curious about the journey they were taking and wondering what the word meant.

"Seismic is a word we use when the ground moves in a violent way causing the ground to open up or make trees and cliffs fall," Maxcien explained to them turning the control stick a bit, making the chopper turn to the right flying over some rocky channels with small patches of forest on the flat ledges.

"So, seismic is another name for a earthshake," Ali said putting some thought into it whilst looking out one of the windows to see the forest from far above, "Wow! Littlefoot, look at this. You can see a forest below!"

Littlefoot looked out the same window. "Wow, you're right!"

Maxcien laughed at the childish interests the forest had suddenly given the two dinosaur children.

"That, my dino friends, is Epping Forest. Well, what's left of it," Maxcien said as she turned the chopper around to do a full circle over the forest so Ali and Littlefoot had a good view of it. She shone the searchlight down upon it before going back on track towards the volcanoes letting the darkness of the night air take back the forest.

During this time, back at the base, most of them settled back down after Alice and Alan had explained that Littlefoot and Ali were safe with Maxcien since she will not land the chopper. Mr Threehorn was reluctant to go back to sleep at first but after discussing it with Alice and Alan, he gave up the fight against them, since the humans were keeping an eye on the base itself and everyone inside it. Janny had been standing by the command centre door listening to them before walking back into the centre. Unknown to her, a silent dinosaur was following her without anyone else noticing. Alan and Alice had decided to get some rest by settling inside the large unit that sat inside the hanger untouched. Before settling down, Ducky noticed something at once. "Spike?" Ducky stood up and scanned the area around her then noticing the command centre door open a little.

"Spike?" Ducky called out quietly as she started walking away from Cera, Petrie and Mr Threehorn who were asleep again. Ducky walked up to the giant door and looked up at it.

"It is a good thing this was not shut or I would not be able to get in, oh no, no, no." Ducky said as she walked into the corridor. The corridor was filled with light which she seemed to admire. "Oh pretty human bright lights! They make dark go away, yes, yes, yes," Ducky smiled walking down the corridor which seemed very long to someone her size.

Janny walked up to an area of the centre and lifted a panel to reveal a piece of paper and a needle moving side-to-side. The needle was marking the paper. Janny recorded the results of the seismic graph on a clipboard. She closed the lid, turned around but almost tripping over something in her way. She looked down and found Spike standing there looking up at her.

'Could you please move to the side? I am writing down the results of the seismic activity,' Janny said in her sign language to Spike. Spike smiled and nodded taking a few steps backwards out of the way. Janny blinked but went on working. Examining another panel, she looked at the seismic graphs and wrote the results down.

Spike made curious mumbling at Janny and she turned to look at him again.

'What am I doing you ask? I am checking on the movement on the ground around Volca Peaks. It seems to be very active at the moment,' Janny replied in sign, 'I see you have a communication method of your own. A sort of mix of sounds and facial expression…emotional driven. Very unique indeed, like mine…' Janny paused with her hands, thinking for a second before finishing, 'how do you understand sign language? It's a process which takes years to learn,' Janny questioned the spiketail.

Spike gave a small shrug not sure how he know what she was saying.

'I am impressed. Then you seem to have a natural talent in understanding my communications,' Janny smiled then said with her hands, 'I would kiss you for that but that going too far. So, I will say thank you.' Janny patted Spike's head with a smile on her face as she turned away and went back to work. Spike remained standing there watching her from behind. Looking up at the back of her head with a quite stern gaze and to the side of her watching what she was doing.

"Ooo this place is all glowing with different colours," Ducky said pointing a clawed finger on her end of the beak. Staring at the command centre she saw a rock in the middle, "Stone of Cold Fire!" Ducky's eyes went wide seeing the rock in the glass container. Janny turned around and walked over to where Ducky was.

"That is a Gemini Energy Rock," Janny said in sign language to the little dinosaur.

Ducky looked at her, watching the hands move and her lips shape but without sound coming from them. By lip reading, she was able to see what Janny was saying,

"You do not talk? But I saw your mouth move. Gem… Energy Rock? Why do humans make up such weird names?" Ducky said tilting her head to the side curiously.

'You can lip read? That's two for two. First Spike, now you Ducky. How do you dinosaurs learn these things so fast for such an age?' Janny said unable to find a solution to what she was seeing that the dinosaurs were able to do.

"Lip read? Is that another way for mouth without sound talking?" Ducky asked Janny.

Janny was about to reply but a noise from the panel she had just opened up was making fast zigzag noises. Janny looked back at the two dinosaur children signing very quickly and urgently, 'Quick! Get under something!' Janny had a demanding look on her face. Ducky and Spike did as they were asked and that's when the ground shook violently. Bottles and other things began falling from their shelves and onto the ground. After around ten seconds, the tremors stopped.

At the time of the quake beginning in the barracks, Wayne was fast asleep when the quake hit, making him wake up quickly and fall out of the bed. The quake ended with Wayne pulling himself up on his knees.

"Ow… that's going to leave a mark," Wayne hissed as he rubbed his forehead, "damn quake…" Wayne pulled himself up on his feet, using the bed beside him for support. Wayne slipped on his trainers and walked out the room to the exit of the barracks. Outside, just after the quake, Mr Threehorn was having a row with Alice and Alan, while Cera and Petrie watched.

"This is absurd! First, that human takes Littlefoot and the other longneck on a ride on that buzzing thing! And now we're getting earthshakes!" Mr Threehorn yelled at the two humans even those he was only a few feet from being on top of them, "what's causing the earth to move!? Tell me!"

Alice looked at Alan with him nodding before looking back at Mr Threehorn.

"It's Volca Peaks. They are becoming very active," Alice told Mr Threehorn turning her hand to Alan.

"This is what we are worried about. The Peaks are 437 miles from us in that direction" Alan said pointing to the east of the base, "there are fifteen volcanoes over there all becoming active and causing the earthquakes but that not why we're worrying though."

"What is there!?" Mr Threehorn stamped on the floor smashing the concreted below his foot to pieces.

"A giant cloud of very hot lava, rock and ash will spread from the Volca Peaks to cover an approximate land area of five hundred miles. This base happens to be within that destructive radius meaning that this base will be destroyed and along with everything else in between." Alan explained calmly and folded his arms looking relatively unnerved by what he had just said.  
Alice coughed a bit, "And it will happen tomorrow morning around eleven o' clock. So, as soon as Maxcien returns, we will leave to your time. That includes us in the unit," Alice said to Mr Threehorn walking up to the left side of Mr Threehorn's head and Alan walking on the other side.

"What!?" Mr Threehorn erupted in shock as he flicked his between Alice and Alan, "You're coming? No way! Out of the question! Wayne is enough! Not nine more humans!" Mr Threehorn started in an angry and stern tone.

"Eight…Helienson is no longer with us," Alan corrected putting his hands behind his back, still looking fairly calm that seemed to be bugging Mr Threehorn, "me and Alice will get everything ready for the travel and Grant will call in on Maxcien." Alan took a walk to the building followed close behind by Alice who departed for the main hanger.

"Daddy?" Cera walked up to her father with Petrie on her head, "what did they say?"

Mr Threehorn looked over at Cera, "We going home as soon as Littlefoot and Ali come back with Maxcien."

"Daddy, why do you look angry then? That's good isn't it?" Cera questioned Mr Threehorn seeing the anger in his eyes and face.

"The humans… they're coming with us… in some Unit…" Mr Threehorn grumbled walking a few metres away turning around and facing Cera, "the humans say that something is going to hit here and destroy everything."

"Me scared," Petrie trembled as he held on Cera's head tightly.

"Humans…" Cera snorted, "Wayne I can deal with but the others I can't." Cera mumbled kicking a pebble with her foot. But then, another earthquake happened. The buildings began to crack and sustain damage.

"Daddy!" Cera cried running up to her father's side feeling fearful.

The quake ended with some of the tops of the buildings falling down and smashing on the floor. Even the two on the watchtowers woke up and fell over. Mr Threehorn saw the damage caused in seconds.

"These human rocks are weak, look at those."

"Me see big crack!" Petrie points his wings at the side of the barracks as Wayne stepped out of the doors.

"What's with all the shaking?" Wayne asked as he walked into the open cold air looking around at the lit up area, "right. Why are all the lights switched on?"

"It's because we are at the highest alert now and the two scientists are dead… that makes six of us left," Grant said walking up to Wayne, "here, take this."

Wayne took hold of the equipment, "What is it?"

"Place it over your head and put that piece near your mouth" Grant told Wayne and he did as he was told.

"Now what?" Wayne placed it over his head and placed the piece near his mouth.

"Huh? Wayne where are you?" Littlefoot's voice came from the ear pieces going into Wayne's ears.

"What are you talking about Littlefoot?" Ali's voice came seconds later.

"It a type of device that allows long range communication. Wayne has something we have on and it connected all the way from the base," Maxcien told them with Wayne listening in. Wayne took a thought then said something,

"Right and how is it going? Having fun sight-seeing from the chopper?"

"It…" Littlefoot started but Ali cut in.

"I think it's alright, but I like to see things from the ground with my feet on it."

"It's great. I've never seen anything this way up high," Littlefoot said with more of a joyful voice.

"Tell Grant that we will arrive at the Peaks soon. ETA one hour," Maxcien said, "Cutting transmission."

"Hey!" Wayne said.

"Wait!" Littlefoot cried.

"We haven't…" Ali started.

"Shut it! We've got trouble!!! We're turning back!" Maxcien's voice bellowed as she began pulling a U-turn manoeuvre, "tell Grant to get everyone out now!! We will be right beh…"


	41. Chapter 40: The Beginning and end Volca

**Chapter 40: The Beginning of the End of Volca Peaks**

Deep in the cones of the large peaks, the calm rocky surface inside the coned walls had started to smoke. Cracks began forming at a rate that showed signs of collapse were evident. Large piles of smoke shot out into the sky with all the other cones following suit. Soon, fireballs started shooting into the air, raining down the west side of the massive peaks with quakes getting stronger and more powerful. The rumbling noises were becoming unbearable and the ground was now shaking with such a violent force that it had drawn out the last person in the trade post of Volca Peaks.

"Oh no… they were right…" she said staring up at the peaks watching the thick smoke pouring out the tops. Soon, another quake hit the area. This time, it shook softly and gradually grew more powerful with one giant hit knocking her to the ground. She had just barely got up to see large cracks form on the west face of the volcano and the same was happening on the others as she scanned across them.

"God please forgive me…" she whispered with building fear and terror as she saw the whole west face started to full then a giant thundering explosion pushed all the west face outwards. The lady shielded herself as a thick grey burning cloud, over five hundred feet high and two hundred miles across raced westwards at a great speed. She had no chance to look again as the large cloud flattened the trade post with its dense grey ash and burning clouds killed the lady instantly.

At the time at the start of the eruption, the chopper flew eastwards only thirty minutes from Volca peaks. Maxcien, with Ali and Littlefoot talking to Wayne over a communication device, had suddenly cut the transmission as the two longnecks tried to talk over one another. Maxcien saw a depression wave spreading across the ground towards the chopper at high speeds.

"Shut it! We got trouble!!! We turning back!" Maxcien barked at them pulling the stick to the left very hard to perform a sharp u-turn, "tell Grant to get everyone out now!! We will be right behind you!" Maxcien shouted but she began hearing static from the other end, "Sh-" Maxcien cursed as the depression wave hit the chopper and rocked around.

"Maxcien, what's going on!?" Ali cried out as the chopper swung side to side. Both she and Littlefoot were sliding around unable to get their feet to grip on the steel floor.

"The peaks have blow their tops!" Maxcien said trying to gain control of the chopper, "we're heading back to base at once and we'll head through the portal, no stops!" Maxcien managed to regain the chopper's stability as it broke out of its spin. Looking right to the east, she saw a large wall of cloud as far as the eye could see coming towards them.

"What is that!?" Littlefoot screeched with horror also noticing the large thick cloud.

"That's what I fear the most…" Maxcien said with a quiet and freaked tone. She pulled the stick turning the chopper right around. Putting everything into the chopper, they sped off towards the base at top speed. However, unknown to them from their aerial position, cracks have begun forming across the land from a massive earthquake.

Just at the time of the mighty earthquake beginning, the seismic graph in the command centre was showing increased movement of the ground by the peaks. Meanwhile, Janny was happily telling Ducky and Spike, using her only way possible to talk to them by lips moving and her hands movements, the needle sudden shook side to side at a wild and rapidly. The measurement was so great that the needle eventually broke off and shot past Janny missing her by a few inches. Janny quickly walked to the graph. There was a large zigzag only meaning one thing… Janny felt panic take hold of her but she took no second thought. Janny jumped over the railing to Ducky and Spike. She picked up Ducky and placed her on Spike's back. Then, picking Spike up off the ground, fighting against his weight, she sped to the stairs to the exit.

"What is happening!?" Ducky squeaked looking at Janny from atop Spike's head.

Janny didn't reply. She pushed the door open and ran down the corridor to the exit of the command building. She rammed into the door but lost her footing as it opened forcing her, Spike and Ducky to fall to the ground. That was when the ground started to shake with a thundering rumble.

"Earthshake!!!" Ducky cried as the earthquake hit its peak with a powerful push, shaking the ground madly. Just over that, the barrack's brickwork was loosening and falling down. Ducky saw Wayne look up as Grant ran from the building. Wayne looked at Cera and picked her up without saying a word and with one swing, let her go sending her flying; just in time for her to escape the whole side of the barracks to collapse in on itself. He himself was not as lucky as the brickwork tumbled on top of him.

"Oh no, no, no! Wayne!" Ducky screamed out in horror as she watched the wall cave in on top of him. The gates cracked and started to bend and one of the towers was starting to crack. To make matters worse, a rock loosened and the tower started to fall on the weight. Trud slid down the ladder and landing on the ground just in time to flee as the tower and the gates fell down to the ground.

The quake finally ended but in that short space of time it had done a massive amount of damage to some of the buildings either toppling them or leaving massive cracks in them. But Mr Threehorn had taken a run to the remains of the barracks as he went to see if Cera was ok.

"Cera! Are you alright!?"

"Yeah I think so… thanks to Wa…" Cera turned her head to smile at Wayne but only to see a heap of rubble, "Wayne!" Cera got up onto her feet racing to the rubble and started digging into it, "Wayne's under it!"

Mr Threehorn's eyes grew wide with shock,

"What!?" He took no second thought and join in on digging Wayne out. Alan and Alice raced out of the half damaged hanger and quickly ran up to Grant as Stud was helping up Trud and Janny was conversing with Spike and Ducky in sign language.

"The peaks, they blew their tops!" Alice shouted in totally panic

"There is a cloud of thick burning ash and rock heading this way!" Alan said straight after her in as much panic. Grant gave a frown,

"How? It's not even morning y…" Grant felt a warmth touch his face. Turning to the west, he saw the sun starting to rise,

"This can't be…" Grant gawked as he saw the sun.

"How about you help us get Wayne out then stare at the Bright Circle!" Mr Threehorn sneered at them before going back to removing the rubble.

"Must be a time distortion," Alice said still shaking with fear, "we need to move out to the dinosaur realm at once!" Alice put a hand in the air.

"Right, let's go get the unit out at once!" Alan slammed his fist into his palm before they both ran off to the main hanger. Grant looked at Cera and Mr Threehorn,

"Right, I'll help you," Grant said pulling up his sleeves to begin digging into the rubble, tossing the heavy debris to the side. Mr Threehorn didn't say anything but the face he gave showed it all as he went on removing large chunks with his horns.

"We must help! Yes, yes, yes!" Ducky said running to the downed building. Janny took a look at Spike and saw him nod. With a hum he ran after Ducky to help out.

Janny looked at her watch. She knew that there was not much time until it hit. She walked over to Stud,

'You two get a stretcher from the lab at once. It's behind the table near the glasses' Janny told them with a silent strong face as she did her sign language.

"Yes ma'am!" both Trud and Stud saluted making a move to the lab complex. She watched them go in, hoping the damage wasn't bad. Janny looked over at the group digging; even Petrie was trying to help. She walked over to them to see if she could lend a hand until the two guards returned with the stretcher.

"We've got to hurry. His injuries may be serious," Grant said throwing a few rocks to the side as he and the others dug through the rubble as fast as they could. Mr Threehorn pushed away some rocks with his horns and suddenly heard some noises from near where he was pushing the rocks away.

"Huh?" he moved to that area moving more rocks away with his horns carefully. From in between the large chunks of brick, he suddenly saw a bruised hand.

"I found him!" Mr Threehorn roared out putting his head to the hand with the horn on his nose very close to it. The hand grabbed hold and Mr Threehorn pulled. Wayne burst out of the rubble, just barely awake for a second as he looked at Mr Threehorn with weak eyes; blood dripped down his face.

"Thank… you," he said before passing out. He released his grip on Mr Threehorn and lay limp on top of the rubble. Everyone gasped in shock as Grant got to him and placed his fingers on his neck.

"He's alive but barely," Grant said looking at Mr Threehorn, "good thing you found him. Any longer and he would have been in a much worse condition." Mr Threehorn only nodded as he looked at the state Wayne was in. Stud and Trud came out the lab with the stretcher, running over to them as fast as they can.

"It's real bad in the lab. Everything is in a mess," Stud said as he and Trud placed the stretcher down.

"No time for that. We've got to get Wayne in the medical bay at once," Grant said to them.

"Impossible sir! The building is gone, just like this one…" Trud said pointing to another fallen building.

"Great…" Grant mumbled. Suddenly, a loud rumbling noise started from somewhere.

"Oh no, no, no! Not another one!" Ducky said in fear thinking the sound was another earthquake starting up.

"No, it's different… it sounds like…" Grant turned and looked at the hanger, "no, it can't be that giant thing" Grant said but then saw the large unit drive out the main hanger showing its size to them all. Mr Threehorn looked at it with wide eyes.

"Th-that thing… you humans made!? It's bigger then me! And it moves!" Mr Threehorn said in a startled tone watching the four giant-wheeled machine drive completely out. It looked over forty feet tall, seventy feet across and about two hundred feet long.

'Perfect' Janny clicked with her fingers looking at Stud and Trud doing her sign language, 'get Wayne on that stretcher and get him in the mobile medical bay at once.' They nodded and when over to retrieve Wayne. Picking him up carefully, they placed him on the stretcher.

"Medical bay? What is a medical bay?" Ducky asked.

"It's where we heal the hurt," Grant told Ducky as Stud and Trud lifted up the stretcher and took Wayne towards the unit as quickly as they could without hurting him. The door on the side opened up and the guards walked in.

"Is it ok if I go with them Daddy?" Cera asked her father.

"Yes Cera you can," he replied. Cera smiled and ran to the unit with the others close behind, leaving Janny, Mr Threehorn and Grant by the ruins.

"Good job saving the boy," Grant said looking at the large dinosaur, "if it wasn't for you, that child would have died before we got to him," Grant said with a smile moving a hand to Mr Threehorn to give him a pat well done.

"Don't you dare… the word is enough. No patting or touching me human!" Mr Threehorn said coldly looking at Grant with one eye.

"Right gotcha…" Grant winced snatching his hand away quickly and slowly backed away from Mr Threehorn.


	42. Chapter 41: The Cloud of Doom

**Chapter 41: The Cloud of Doom**

The sun slowly stated to rise over the land. In the distance, a chopper was shooting over the land at high speed, passing a few remaining old buildings. To the shock of those onboard, a large cloud was smashing through the buildings, engulfing them in the thick, hot ash and rock cloud. Maxcien looked back at Ali and Littlefoot.

"That cloud is gaining on us!" Maxcien looked forwards at the systems, "hold tight! I am going to activate the emergency power cells. It will give the chopper a five minute boost of speed." Maxcien pushed open a secret compartment under the system readers and pressed a few buttons and switches with numbers counting down.

"How fast?" Littlefoot asked her apprehensively.

Ali was feeling a bit nervous, "I hope it's not too…" Suddenly, the chopper shot forward at an amazing speed, "…fast!!!" Ali finished as she screamed. Both her and Littlefoot were thrown to the back of the aircraft and were pinned under the intense force of the chopper's speed.

"Too fast… can't move…" Ali moaned feeling the G-force pressing against her.

"How much… longer… I can't… breathe properly…" Littlefoot gasped clearly having troubling breathing in air.

"Just hold on…" Maxcien said slowly. She looked to the right and saw the cloud's flow slowly disappearing far into the distance.

"We're pulling away," Maxcien told them as she noticed the power reader arrow falling.

The chopper shot at high speeds over ridged land masses. Smoke began coming out the back of the chopper just below the tail end. The chopper slowly but surely was leaving the sooty cloud behind even though it was still travelling far and wide at an incredible speed destroying everything in its path. Soon, the super speed diminished and the chopper regained it normal speed but thankfully, they were a good distance from the flow.

"Could you not do that again…" Ali wheezed a bit putting her four feet on the steel flooring of the chopper.

"Yeah, I don't feel so good," Littlefoot moaned putting his feet on the floor feeling unsteady.

"Air sick… a dinosaur that gets air sick…" Maxcien said rolling her eyes before quickly snapping, "don't you dare throw up in my chopper! Or you will have me to fear more then that volcanic cloud that was chasing us!"

"I'll try not to…" Littlefoot replied laying down on the cold steel floor but still feeling ill as the chopper rocked about, "I hope we get there soon. I feel really bad now." As Littlefoot moaned, Ali sat beside him to try to give him some comfort.

Meanwhile, somewhere north of the base, about three hundred miles away, something was happening. A large crack was forming and was spreading from the east side to the west along with more violent shakes causing more cracks. Eventually, the south side of this crack suddenly fell by two hundred feet below the north side and a hole appearing between them. The drop continued southwards. In a second, the land between the lava river and the newly opened hole fell with one quick powerful jolt.

Back at the ruins of the base, Grant was talking to Mr Threehorn when all of a sudden they lost their breath for a second. The triceratops looked at Grant with a deep glare that demanded an answer for this strange feeling of near collapse. Before Grant could answer, the falling feeling came to an end with a powerful second quake making both of them lose their footing forcing them to the ground. Inside the unit, just as Alan was about to start the process of helping Wayne, the jolt made him and everyone inside the large unit fall over. The gang; Ducky, Petrie, Cera and Spike, looked through the glass for an answer as they stood up and saw Alan find he feet again from the other side of the glass.

"Something's not right…" Alan said taking hold of a phone in the sealed up room, "Alice, tell Grant, the triceratops and Janny. We've got to get out of here!"

"I will tell them at once. You keep helping the child," Alice replied on the other end of the line before hanging up. With the message transferred, Alice went off to the outside to tell the others the bad news.

"Children, get to the front of the unit. Don't worry, I will not let him die on my table," Alan said to them as they one by one left; leaving him alone to get on with the healing process. Cera was about to leave as well but she stopped to turn back and look at the glass,

"I hope you save him…" Cera said quietly before going off after the others.

Outside the base, to the west and east, water had started to rush in, covering the lowered land at fast speeds. It showed no signs of stopping as the water rammed through trade posts, ruined cities and canyons.

"Something's wrong…" Grant said looking around. He had noticed that the other side of the lava river was very high up, "the land… it's sunk."

"Sunk!? You're saying the land we're on went down!?" Mr Threehorn bellowed at the human scientist just in front of him.

"We've got to go!" Alice shouted out from the unit, "We have to leave now!" Alice re-entered the unit just as quick as she had exited it.

"You heard her! Get moving to the portal!" Grant ordered pointing to the blue vortex that still sat on top of the end of the platform.

"What!?" the crowd called in disbelief.

"Don't start! Just go and take Janny. I will stay behind and wait for the chopper to get here," Grant said running to the undamaged tower. Climbing up the ladder, Mr Threehorn watched from below.

"What's going on… these humans are not making any sense…" Mr Threehorn said shaking his head feeling lost and confused. Then, Mr Threehorn noticed cracks starting to form all over the floor and the buildings.

"Human! The flat rock cliffs and hard floor is cracking!" Mr Threehorn shouted out to Grant seeing a crack appear below him as the crack zigzagged it way underneath his front, left foot. He lifted his foot up and watch it worm its way along the floor. Grant made it to the top and looked over to Mr Threehorn hearing him shout. His eyes locked on the land starting to fall apart where Mr Threehorn and the unit was standing.

"GO NOW!" Grant shouted pointing to the portal, "the land is weakened from the drop, it's all falling apart from the weight! Hurry!"

"Fine! Make sure the last of the children get through or I will give you a horn!" Mr Threehorn threatened Grant and he turned away making a quick move to the portal with the unit close behind. Janny jumped through the door of the unit as it rolled by her. As she got in, she looked out at Grant as the unit got further away from the tower and closer to the portal. Mr Threehorn stopped outside the portal on the platform and looked back at the unit. There, by the front window, was his daughter. He gulped as he turned back to the portal. He started to walk towards the portal and, with his eyes closed, he entered the blue vortex with the unit close behind. Janny waved to Grant and Grant waved back to her as the unit entered. Janny watched as the tower disappeared from view in a swirl of blue in a second. As she closed the door of the unit, she placed a hand on her chest and backing up against the door, she sighed somewhat regretfully as a single tear fell from her eye and onto the steel floor.

The chopper flew low over the land at great speeds but it was starting to have an effect on the engine. It was overheating. Maxcien pulled open the door as she was steering and poked her head out of the chopper's cockpit. A strong blast of wind hit her in the face as she looked behind the chopper to see the volcanic cloud gaining on them quickly. However, something new had caught her eye. As she was about to pull her head back in the chopper, she saw the land cracking and falling apart like something very heavy had landed on it. She pulled herself back in and closed the door taking time as she kept the chopper on course to the base.

"That's odd…" she said looking out the corner of her eye with a puzzled expression on her face, "that land is falling part."

Ali overheard what Maxcien had said and lifting her head up, she looked at the back of Maxcien's seat, "How? What's wrong?" Ali asked.

"I think the land has fallen quite a bit. Haven't you noticed how the land look like it's dropped compared to about ten minutes ago?" Maxcien said to Ali not looking back to face Ali.

"No, I've been keeping an eye on Littlefoot; he doesn't look too well," Ali said looking at the sick longneck lying beside her.

"I want off…" Littlefoot moaned with a sickened face staring at Ali.

"Don't worry Littlefoot, we're almost there," Ali said tying to give him some good news.

"I hope so… I don't like being on this thing…" Littlefoot said quietly still lying on the cold steel floor.

Speeding across the weakened land, just north of the base by a mile, a motorbike was rushing over the land. Its rider was a black clothed female with a black helmet. A signature symbol of a raptor was marked on her leather jacket, the brow of her helmet and on the side of the bike. The biker took no time in getting the bike to top speed, still on a course for the base. A smile on her lips showed that this was going to be too easy for whom to get through it.

"My jeep might be out of action but my bike is a whole different story," the cruel voice leaked from the smirking lips as she carried on racing through the weak and falling land.

Back at the base, Grant, in the tower, saw that pillars of steam were rising from the cracked ground as it split more and more showing the true weakness in the land. "Something is causing the whole place to fall apart…" Grant said looking back at the base, "I hope Maxcien gets here soon. The base will not hold up much longer." Grant looked back out into the land outside the base.

"What is that?" Grant muttered, seeing something coming towards the base at high speeds. As it came closer, he realised it to be a black bike and a rider, "I've got a feeling this one shouldn't be let through." Grant pushed a few buttons activating the defence chain gun on the tower. He looked at the screen and grabbing a control stick, he pushed the trigger down. Black Raptor, on her approach to the base, saw the flashes from the tower and quickly realised she was being shot at. She turned the bike to the left a little bit with the bullets knocking the dirt up, missing her and the bike. "You useless idiot!" she chuckled shifting side-to-side dodging the bullets with ease.

All the while, Maxcien in the chopper could now see the base but she was a little disturbed to see flashes coming from the watchtower. Looking to the ground, she noticed that someone heading towards the base and was obviously trying to get in. She radioed the base but flinched as she heard gunfire explode in her earpiece.

"Grant! What the hell is going on!?" Maxcien called out down the microphone.

"That biker is wearing the same clothes as the one that made a runner the other night!" Grant called back still blaring away at the bike.

"Black Raptor…" Maxcien gasped, "she must be trying to get to the portal! Stop her!"

"Black Raptor!?" Littlefoot sprung his head up looking shocked, "That's the one that killed that O'Neil guy!" Littlefoot was startled and so was Ali by all this.

"How do you know?" Ali looked at Littlefoot.

"I had a sleep story about it," Littlefoot replied nervously.

"No time for the how and why, hold on!" Maxcien said pulling the stick to the left as the chopper just missed a jet of steam that shot up from the cracked earth below. Suddenly, there was a blast from the tower itself.

"Grant!" Maxcien cried out.

Grant fired upon the target but the bike shot passed the gate. In its flight, a grenade flew up and landed beside his feet.

"CRAP!" Grant shouted jumping over the side and sliding down the ladder as the blast destroying the tower. The explosion threw him from the ladder, he fell on his back and rolled over as the destroyed tower fell to the ground. Grant heard Maxcien's voice in the earpiece,

"I am fine Maxcien…" he said unsteadily but as he started to right him, he paused as the cocking of a loaded gun sounded above his head. Looking up slowly, he saw the biker standing over him with the gun hovering over his head, "…but I maybe not be for long…"

With a devilish smirk, Black Raptor was about to shoot him but she turned to the sound of roaring steam close by.

"What the?" Black Raptor stared at the steam where the portal was just behind it and Grant did the same. Suddenly, they turned to another sound to the west; the sound of rumbling water. Then, Black Raptor noticed the large wall of water racing towards them.

"That's it! Time for my goodbyes," she chuckled getting back on her bike and putting full power into it, she sped to the portal, "good luck swimming," she laughed.

Grant pulled out his gun and fired at her but missed her as she entered the portal. "Maxcien I missed her. Get in the portal now! There's no more time…" Grant called out in a hurrying voice, "don't worry about me."

"I will not…" Maxcien started.

"GO!" Grant shouted throwing the headpiece to the floor. Maxcien did as she was told and flew the chopper into the portal just in time as the water smashed through the walls and a fiery ash cloud smashed through the east side. "Good luck and God speed…" Grant said as the portal closed just before the rushing water hit him with a force of unbelievable power, destroying the cannon.

Just on top of the cliff, on the south side of the lava river, the land was now starting to fill with water. Atop the cliff, a large group of people watched the water splashing up on the side of the south cliff filling the land. The whole landscape was now underwater; the ground never to be seen again. The group of people watched peacefully as the new sea formed before their eyes washing away more history and killing all that was on the fallen land. They stood quietly giving a respectful look before all turning away and heading into London Forest to start over once again leaving the past behind that was now completely submerged.

A person in a dark room watched on the screen that lit the room up just barely. The person looked at the screen from behind his dark coloured glasses watching the flooding from a sky view.

"Now, things will get interesting," he said aloud, his voice rang with a distinctive Yorkshire accent. He cracked a smile from the corner of his lips.


	43. Chapter 42: Tunnel of the Past

**_Chapter 42: Tunnel of the Past_**

"How long will it be now!?" Cera cried out again as she stared at the blue tunnel through the glass watching her father who was just ahead of the large vehicle. Walking at a steady pace, he turned his head with one eye on the window as he heard his daughter over the loudspeaker.

"You heard the human the last time Cera," Mr Threehorn said as Cera sighed with boredom, "she said it will take a while and she wasn't even sure how long." Cera looked out the window wondering what he was talking about,

"It like I am being pulled along this blue tunnel," he continued

"How do you know? Have you tried running Daddy?" Cera asked her father she felt was of some importance.

"I did and nothing happened, so I can guess this tunnel is making me move," Mr Threehorn replied. Cera looked at Alice and saw that she was asleep.

"Is that why Alice is sleeping?" she asked. Mr Threehorn nodded and looked forwards deeper into the tunnel.

"Why are you walking?" Cera asked.

"I am keeping my legs moving because standing still too long will make them feel stiff," Mr Threehorn answered.

"Good idea Daddy. I am going to see how Alan's doing in that odd place," Cera turned around and stepped over the others that was asleep. As she managed to get past them she began walking down the small corridor.

Further down the blue tunnel, the chopper travelled down it without the propellers moving one each for a little less time by about 15 to 30 minutes. Maxcien was sat in the back area of the chopper with the two little longnecks, Ali and Littlefoot, talking to them to pass the time.

"Smoke flies made by humans?" Ali asked after Maxcien told them both about missiles, how they are powered and the trail of smoke they leave behind.

"It's called a 'missile' but I guess you call them 'smoke flies' because of the smoke it leaves behind it." Maxcien looked at Ali with an intuitive expression, "but the real thing is the front of it which explodes on impact with anything from water's surface to a solid ob…" Maxcien said but quickly stared to the left with wide open eyes "…ject."

"Are you OK?" Littlefoot asked as he stood up but she did not respond, He turned around and then waved his tail in front of her face but still failed to get a response from her. Then, he felt the warmth of light on his face. Turning to the window, he gasped at the sight. Ali looked at the window too to see what was so shocking.

"What is that blue round thing and that darkness?" Ali screeched shaking with fear.

"It's not real, it's an image of the past… the human past," Maxcien pulled herself up on her knees and crawled over to the side door. Opening it up she looked at the view before them, "It's before the quake. The Earth that I once knew," Maxcien stared at the planet

"Earth? Err Maxcien what is the blackness?" Littlefoot asked Maxcien looking at the world and the stars, "I see the night stars, the Bright Circle and the Night Circle, that's not possible, is it?"

"This is outer space. The region outside the world you and I live on," Maxcien turned around and looked at them with their mouths opened.

"I know you two wouldn't expect to see such a sight. You see, we shouldn't be able to since there is no air to breathe in space."

"So how can we then?" Ali asked shaking a bit and about to hold her breath.

"Because we're still in the same tunnel moving slowly down, you see," Maxcien said pointing to the sight they could see, "this is an after image of the past which this time tunnel is showing us… but us?" Maxcien looked back at the Earth putting a hand under her chin.

Just further down the tunnel, the Black Raptor was looking at a different image. Something that brought a smile to her face. She was looking at an image of the future in the dinosaur era; something which could be important.

"This will be good and I think I have the perfect idea to set things our way," she chuckled as she pulled out a comic book from a holder on the side of the bike,

"Who says bad girls can't enjoy a good comic?" she joked opening it up looking at the page from behind the lowered visor of her helmet.

Back at the chopper Maxcien, Littlefoot and Ali watched the after image of Earth before the quake that changed the world forever in a silence wondering what going to happen next. A black object came in front of view and was moving towards Earth. Small fragments of the object were heading towards the moon, hitting the surface. "Blackerom…" Maxcien said as she shook a bit with fear shutting the chopper door backing away.

"That large rock has a name?" Littlefoot looked at Maxcien who was backed against the other door shaking, "are you OK?"

"Watch…" Maxcien pointed to the Planet with her arm shaking. Ali and Littlefoot looked as the large rock entered the Earth. A large shockwave of black vapours expanded outwards as a large fiery object went towards the ground.

"Wow it looks like a flying rock but…" Suddenly a flash was seen from South America. A large cloud of brown, red and orange spread out far and wide. Large ripples emanated out and spread across the surface along with huge emerging cracks that were so large, some areas of the destruction could be seen from space.

"What's happening?" Littlefoot asked bewildered as he watched the changes taking place on Earth. Soon, the large cloud dropped down on the surface and settling unusually fast revealing a large crater about a thousand miles in diameter.

"Wow! That's a large hole!" Ali gasped impressed yet also thunderstruck.

"Look… our home… look at the human home that was changed forever…" Maxcien slid down on her back against the door in tears. Littlefoot and Ali looked at the after image as it started to fade into the blue tunnel once more. They saw wildfires across the planet with land masses changed to something new. Suddenly there was an eruption of noise from all over the place. Radio emergency calls from all bandwidths and on all frequencies.

"Stop that noise it!" Ali cried.

"What is all those talking!?" Littlefoot shouted over the multiple calls.

"It's called 'Black Day'… the first day after the quake ,there were armies, governments and emergency services crying out on radios to others for help. Everything was real bad at the first day. Riots spread out all over the ruined cities… This was the end of the technologic ways." Ali and Littlefoot looked at Maxcien listening to what she had said with gaping mouths. The voices stopped and the after image had vanished leaving a wall once more.

"But why show us this past…" Maxcien spoke with tears.

"I don't know, do you?" Ali looked at Littlefoot and he shook his head.

"I don't know either… it maybe this place we're in. It makes things appear that have happened before," Littlefoot said and Maxcien smiled.

"That is the smartest thing that anyone could come up with. You dinos still have your surprises," Maxcien started to laugh and after a brief glance whipping the tears away, the other two looked at her and they started to laugh too.

Meanwhile, in the Unit, Cera had gotten all the way to the emergency room where she some how had managed to get lost. Backing out of what was one of the restrooms, she soon found the room where Alan was. She caught him just as he was coming out of the door and was removing the gloves from off his hands.

"How's Wayne?" Cera asked Alan straight away.

"Hi there too," Alan replied with a shake of the head then looked at her with a smile. "We think he's gonna be OK," Alan said encouragingly but as he saw Cera smile, Alan's expression turned serious, "but he not going to wake up anytime soon. The blows he took were very heavy and inflicted some damage to on his body. You can see him if you like." Alan opened the door and ushered Cera inside.

"Thanks," Cera said as she walked past Alan, through the door and into the room. Cera gasped a little when she saw Wayne on the bed completely still. He was breathing steadily but that was all the movement she could see from him. Cera climbed up onto a chair almost making it tip over, "Whoa… that was close…" Cera looked down at the chair she was stood on, there wasn't much room for all her four feet and she looked at Wayne with a mesh of white bandages over his head. She looked at him wondering why he was still out cold.

"The super drug has healed most of the injuries but the head injury. Sadly, we don't know much about how the affects of the drug will apply to the brain," Alan told Cera walking into the room, shutting the door behind him, "I just don't know when he will recover… it could by a few minutes or weeks. He's in what we call a Semiotic Coma."

"Does that mean he's going to stay sleeping for a long time?" Cera asked Alan looking over to him as he walked over to the other side of the bed and picked up a chart looking at it.

"Yes that what it means, Wayne is going to be like this for a while and…" Alan was interrupted by a beeping from a phone on the wall. Picking up the receiver, he answered the call, "Yes it's me Alice, what is it?"

Cera watched him talking into the phone and then after a while he put the phone down "What is it? What's with the smile?" she asked intrigued by his sudden smile.

"We're at the end of the tunnel. Your father is already a few minutes ahead. He's going to see about the Unit and the chopper," Alan said walking back to the bed side, "I am going to the driver's compartment, you can stay here if you like," Alan said walking to the door.

"I will come. I'll let him rest in peace," Cera said as she walked out the room. Alan smiled looking back at Wayne before shutting the door and leaving him to rest in the room all alone. His eyelids fluttered as if he were seeing something in his dreams.


	44. Chapter 43: When things Fall Apart

**_Chapter 43: When things Fall Apart _**

The Professor from the Middle East walked down the corridor in a black coat with black trousers and black shoes. He came to a set of doors and pushed them open with both hands. The tanned face with black, mid-length hair looked around the small room filled with five people sitting by their own computers on desks typing.

The Professor took a look at the group then looked at the large screen above the five smaller ones, "What is the status of the collapsing portal?" he spoke in the Middle Eastern accent being from Egypt before the mass collapse.

One of the men turned in his chair to face the professor, "It's stable and we ready to bring gravity back to the portal."

"Perfect…" he said not taking the eyes off the screen, "Proceed and inform Black Rapt…"

"Sir, the others we detected will hear…" another man quickly said but he paused as he saw the stony gaze he was getting from the Professor, "Sorry… I will do it at once." the man turned back to the computer typing on the keys. The Professor looked at the screen once more and watched the small window image to the top of the large screen. He then pushed a button on the wall beside him.

"Black Raptor, this is Red Falcon. We're activating the Chrono Maximum to bring gravity to the portal in a few minutes. Prepare to exit it into the dinosaur era but we will lose connection to you while your there. You know your mission so don't fail." Chi-Sanner let go of the button and turned away pushing the doors open as he exited the small room. Walking back down the same corridor with the doors shutting behind him, the five men continued working hard on their keyboards getting the right sums to bring gravity to the portal using the Tri-Macrock-Labs primary cannon the Chrono Maximum.

Ali and Littlefoot looked at each other inside the chopper. Maxcien jumped through the gap between the seats to get into the pilot seat. Flicking the switches on the panel around the steering column, she starting the rotors up.

"Who was that?" Ali said looking at Maxcien

"Yeah, it sounds like one of those speaking things we had on our heads," Littlefoot said.

"I wonder…" Maxcien tried the radio to contact the Unit but only got static, "still a temporal field blocking the radio waves… this Red Falcon must be using some type of inter-temporal radio that can get to that biker."

"If it was to that evil human then why did we hear it?" Ali asked.

Maxcien took a look back at Ali, "They mustn't be able to focus the radio transmission to her alone. It echoed down the tunnel and if that person was right, we're going to realised from this time gravity field which is moving us down this tunnel"

"Does that means, we'll fall if those buzzing spinning things don't move?" Littlefoot exclaimed. Maxcien gave a calm nod as she looked forwards and got ready for the surge.

"I am not going to like this…" Littlefoot laid down with a frown preparing for the movement of the chopper once more.

In the Unit, the others had heard the same transmission. With the two guards, Trud and Stud, with Alan and Alice, stood in the front of the Unit awaiting the drop and to start up the systems so it could move down the tunnel on its own steam. Janny came in from the backside of the Unit and she looked at the crowd that built up inside the driving section. She stepped over Spike, then Cera and, walking over to Alice she handed two long boxes to her.

"Thank you Alice. These new power control boxes will give the overall power we need for a full speed drive," Alice said opening up a slot and placing both boxes in it placing each of the slots. Shutting the lid some looked out the window at Mr Threehorn.

"Get ready for a landing and can you run at your fastest until the exit?"

"Yes, I can. Don't worry about me," Mr Threehorn said with a smile, looking forwards and getting ready for his cue

"Good, systems showing all green status on all ports!" Alan announced looking at the screen, "Only problem is, that transmission we had. I believe this Black Raptor is the cause of all the problems in the base and stole those two chips."

"That's the one who killed O'Neil in front of me!" Cera blurted out and everyone looked at her.

"That means…" Stud didn't get a chance to finish what he was saying when the Unit stopped moving. Trud grabbed the wheel and turned it, before pushing down the lever in front of him allowing the vehicle to move ahead on its own power, automatically piloted.

"We're moving on our own steam. Everyone hold on!" he called. Trud and Stud pulled down the centre lever between their seats, giving the Unit a thrust of movement; Mr Threehorn running ahead of it.

Just behind, Black Raptor gave everything the bike could give in speed as it started to move fast down the blue tunnel. She pressed her body against the frame of the bike as she looked through the black visor seeing the blue shot pass her from all around. A cruel smirk came to her face as she saw the Unit just in front, moving fast. Just then, something caused her to lose control as she saw white flashes across the circular walls.

"Time for an escape!" She pulled herself back pulling the front of the bike in the air to perform a wheelie. Dropping the front end, the tyres gave a squeal, giving the bike a boost of speed as it closed in on the Unit, but then, another sound caught her ears. She took a look back to see the chopper charging down the tunnel.

"They have a big advantage… looks like I have to plan something different, but first…" she looked forwards as the bike came up to the Unit. Turning it to the side of the wall, the bike drove up on it at a 45 degree angle passing alongside the unit and quickly over took it. The children in the Unit all saw the bike come passed the window, saw it overtake them and then shoot off ahead of them, driving around Mr Threehorn and speeding down the tunnel.

"Is that…?" Cera gaped looking over at Janny and she gave a nod, "it's getting way! Can't we stop it?" Cera saw Janny shake her head pointing to the weapon system with yellow lights. "Err?"

"In other words, the sonic pulse cannon isn't operational," Alice said looking at a still image that she got of the bike. She was now using the system to run a 3D scan on the bike and its driver. Alan looked over at his sister and then back at his screen.

"We've got new problems… the portal itself is losing containment. We've got about two minutes before it starts to fall apart." Alice got off her seat to look at the same screen. Peeking over her brother's shoulder, she examined the systems that was showing damage to the temporal lining of the tunnel itself.

"Me scared," Petrie shivered as he held on to Ducky.

"Me too," Ducky held on to Petrie with both shaking with fright. No one else replied as the unit travelling slightly slower to Mr Threehorn who was galloping beside them.

Meanwhile, in the Great Valley, the dinosaurs gathered all around the blue vortex as night started to fall. The vortex gave new signs of light with white flashes, loud noises of howling and grinding sounds.

"Please… everyone… quiet it down please…" Grandpa called trying to speak out over the large group all talking to each other and chatting nervously. The vortex, just in front of them, was so loud the gathered dinosaurs could just barely hear each other over the loud noises coming from the portal.

"If Mr Threehorn were here, he would be able to get his voice heard by everyone,"

Grandma said looking at Grandpa.

"Indeed he would dear but he and the children are not here…" Grandpa said as he looked at the vortex then back at Grandma. "I hope our Littlefoot is all right."

"I hope so too," Grandma said watching the others talking to each other then back at the vortex. It had started to change colour from blue to a fiery red with a blast of wind coming from it felt by everyone as the ground rumbled.

"Oh my! This doesn't look good," a male dinosaur said.

"What should we do!?" another one cried out as the shaking stopped but a cold wind continued to blow from it.

"We have to stay calm!" Grandpa shouted as best he could as they all watched the now red vortex give a bright red flash, red lightning sparking off its rims,

"It looks like whatever this thing is, it's having problems staying where it is."

"I think you're right…" Grandma whispered feeling just as scared as many of the others were.Many were chattering nervously to each other once more, muttering phrases like 'it is the end, we all doomed!' Those who could not find their voices merely looked on, fearing the worst to come. Suddenly, a small object came out of the portal startling everyone.

Black Raptor brought the bike to a 90-degree stop, sliding along the ground, knocking up whatever dust was around the area. The dust cleared and she removed her helmet to get a good look at where she was. Black Raptor looked at the green and fresh leaves of the trees and the bushes. She looked at the ground at the green grass and heard some voices. Her eyes followed further up the way of the grass until her eyes came to a large number of dinosaurs looking at her.

"Just what I need. A crowd of scaly, cold blooded giants," she snorted. She placed her helmet back on, turning her head around to the left seeing the portal acting even funnier with a few flashes.

"Perfect," Black Raptor smiled pushing full power into the bike as its wheel spun on the ground. The group of adults watched as the bike's back wheel spun madly, kicking up dust but a few bright flashes blinding their view for a second and they looked at the same place to find the bike was gone and so was the human on it.

"It's… gone?" Ducky's mum gasped looking at the others. Petrie's mum flew up to look around from the air but having not seen much from the night that had settled in but the light from the vortex gave her some help.

"Do you see where it went?" Grandpa called up to Petrie's mum.

She looked over to the way to the Mysterious beyond to see a faint trail of dust settling down.

"It's left the Great Valley," Petrie's mum called as she came back down to land beside Ducky's mum, "For a moment there, I thought I saw a human."

"More of these humans?" Ducky's mum questioned starting off a wave of discussions with humans as the main subject.

Suddenly, something large came out the portal which Grandpa recognised as Mr Threehorn.

"My friend, you're back? Where is…" Grandpa started but he didn't get a chance to finish when Mr Threehorn bellowed out five very distinctive words,

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Everyone was startled as they watched Mr Threehorn hop to the side with seconds to spare as the large Unit came shooting out of the vortex hitting the ground with a giant thud. The Unit slid on its wheels as the brakes tried to stop the super heavy-weighted Unit as it smashed through trees, knocking them over as it came to a halt. Mr Threehorn turned his head to the Unit which was almost right up against his front nose horn.

"That crazy human almost hit me!" Mr Threehorn said as the door started to open up. The large door clicked and slowly lowered down to the ground like a metallic drawbridge. Cera was the first to emerge, looking up at the night sky and then all around her.

"The Great Valley," she sighed gratefully, "I've never seen anything better." Cera seemed very glad she was on more recognisable ground and not in the world of humans.

"Yes, we are home Cera and I see no sign of that evil human," Mr Threehorn said as the others got out of the Unit. Spike was the next to emerge with Ducky and Petrie.

"Duc-Ducky! Spike!" Ducky's mum shouted. Seeing her children, she rushed over to them, completely forgetting about the Unit beside them. She only cared that her children were home safe.

"Where have you been? I've been so worried about you two." Ducky's mum lowered herself forwards to give Ducky and Spike a gentle rub with her head, to which they replied by hugging their mother's beak.

"We missed you too mama, oh yes, yes, yes," Ducky said with tears in her eyes as she carried on hugging her mother and Spike giving a cheerful lick on her beak. Petrie flew to his mother where she caught him in her wings.

"Petrie!" she said with joy "Are you ok?"

Petrie nods with a sparkle of joy in his eyes, "Me fine mama, me miss you lots." Petrie hugged his mum with happiness. Grandpa looked around for Littlefoot but saw no sign of him. Looking down at the children he asked them,

"I am glad to see you are all safe. Have you seen Littlefoot?"

Before any of the kids could answer someone spoke up,

"He's with Maxcien and should be here shortly." Grandpa looked over to the door of the Unit to see two humans in white coats.

"Where?" Grandma asked stepping up to the large vehicle, looking down at the two humans.

"In there," Alice said pointing to the portal.

"They should be here shortly," Alan continued but before Alice could say something Mr Threehorn stepped in.

"Don't start that again!" Mr Threehorn said with a look that gave them a bit of a fright to see but kept their ground despite the glance, "What!?" Mr Threehorn looked at the pair of them.

"Are you done?" Alan asked with his arms crossed tapping his foot.

"What?" Mr Threehorn looked at him now confused.

Alice, with her hands on her hips, then spoke up,

"Do you not want us to tell these two about the little dinosaur Littlefoot?" Alice asked. Mr Threehorn looked at Littlefoot's grandparents and then back at Alice giving a small shake of the head.

"Thank you." Alice turns to Alan, "you may finish Alan."

"That I will Alice," Alan said as he looked up at the two longnecks. "As I was saying, Littlefoot and Ali are onboard what we call a chopper. It's something that humans made that flies with spinning blades. They will arrive any second." Alan said to them.

"Err… sorry?" Grandpa looked a bit confused, "I don't follow. A cho-cho-per…"

"Dear, we don't need to," Grandma looked at Grandpa with a smile, "our dear Littlefoot is coming home."

"You are right Grandma," Grandpa said as he looked at Grandma then Alice and Alan. As Alan has said, the chopper came out of the portal which collapsed within seconds of the flying machine passing through. Letting of a blast of red lightning into the night sky, the portal quickly disappeared into thin air.

The chopper flew around in the air, swaying a bit with some trouble. Everyone looked on as it started to lower to the ground in a clearing where the audience quickly gathered around. The chopper's suspension squealed and bounced a little as the helicopter's wheels touched the grassy ground where the rotor blades slowed to a stop. The gathered dinosaurs watched both puzzled and amazed at the vehicle as the two side doors opened up.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" a voice cried out to the crowd. Grandpa and Grandma looked up to see who had just jumped out the chopper and onto the ground.

"Littlefoot!" both elderly Longnecks said together hurrying to him half way.

"I missed you two so much!" Littlefoot said as both grandparents lowered their heads rubbing against his from either side, with smiles on their faces and joy in the eyes. Ali jumped out the chopper looking around to see if her mother was around. She was surprised to see something pushed her from behind, having her slide on it and raising up a bit. She looked down at what she quickly recognised as her mother's eyes. "Mother!" Ali said with a smile rubbing her head against the topside of her mother's snout.

"Ali, I am so glad you're safe and well," her mother said with a gleaming smile.

As the parents now welcomed their children back, all thoroughly glad they were all safe, Maxcien took at short walk to Alice and Alan who came up to meet her.

"What the blazes happened in there!?" Maxcien snapped at them at once, "We almost didn't make it!"

"A temporal power surge caused the portal to collapse," Alice told Maxcien who quickly turned to Alan.

"But you made it other then that and so did…" Alan paused humming nervously as he tried to think of the words to tell her.

"Who? Come on, spit it out!" Maxcien snapped grabbing Alan by the shirt.

"The…" Alan gulped a bit, "Black Raptor…" Alan gasped as he was released and fell to the ground.

"I will be in my chopper… doing maintenance…" Maxcien grumbled as she turned away.

"Maxcien?" Ali said looking down from on top of her mother's head but Maxcien didn't reply as she got into the chopper and closed the first door and then the second.

"Do you know that human Ali?" Ali's mother asked.

"Yes, she was the one that took me first and…"

"What?" Ali's mother cut Ali off, with shock in her face.

"But mother, she changed and she protected me from harm in the human world," Ali said quickly, trying to keep a good side to Maxcien.

"Oh she did? Then I'll have to thank her for keeping you safe," she said to her daughter settling her shock down, but she was not happy with the idea even though Ali had said Maxcien had changed her ways.

Through the start of the night, talks between the small group of humans and large numbers of dinosaur begin with each sharing something between each other. The children were listening in but Littlefoot and Cera were away from the discussion group. They were inside the Unit sitting by the glass window looking into the room where the human boy, Wayne, was lying still. His eyes closed and the tuneless echoing of his ECG that was monitoring his heart rate. Janny was with them as they laid on some soft thick bed sheets waiting for him to recover which they hoped was some time soon.


	45. Chapter 44: Silent Witness Past Item

**Chapter 44: Silent Witness - Past Item Reviled**

Some time had passed in the Great Valley since the children had returned home and things had quietened down quite a bit. Everything would be back to normal if it wasn't for a few unwelcome visitors that made themselves a temporally home in the area of Great Valley that had hardly any plant life growing there. An ideal spot since it was out of the way of all the dinosaurs that live in the Great Valley. Everyday since the night they'd arrived, around the time when the sun touched the Smoking Mountains, there were strange noises often coming from the area but yet, no one wanting to go and see what the humans were up to. But, after so many days, this day happened to be the first when no sound could be heard coming from the area.

The children, Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, Cera and Spike welcomed this as a good day having fun not interrupted by the odd sounds from the Unit.

The rock bounced a few times on the ground before Cera caught it with on head and flicked it up with her horn.

"Hee!" she grinned as Littlefoot ran after it and then hit it over to Spike.

"Pass it to Cera! Spike!" Littlefoot said. Spike gave a head butt at the rock sending it rolling across the ground.

"Me got!" Petrie shouted getting in the path of the rock, ready to try and get hold of it but the rock hit him square on forcing him to roll around it before coming to a stop. "Me no got…" Petrie puffed as he flopped forwards on the ground. The others laughed.

"Oh yes, yes, yes, you did get it but it got you too, it did," Ducky giggled.

"This is far better today then before when those weird noises were coming from that Unit," Cera said walking up to the rock and placing her horn under it. "Catch Littlefoot!" Cera lifted her head up, throwing the rock towards Littlefoot.

"Ah!" Petrie squawked as the rock rolling at him. He flapped his wings madly, trying to get out of the way in time.

Littlefoot put his foot in the way, stopping the rock. "Yeah, it's good, but I wonder why. Do you think something bad could have happened?" Littlefoot asked looked over in the direction of the Unit.

"Oh don't worry about them. They lasted this long without interrupting with our lives. C'mon, let's play," Cera said to Littlefoot.

"I guess," Littlefoot said moving around the rock, and flicked it with his tail to Cera again. She hit it with her head and it bounced up to Spike who stood there looking at it for a moment. Having glanced over at the remote area of the Valley, he looked back at the rock and he hit it back to Littlefoot.

"Let us go see them!" Ducky said suddenly "We can see why they have not been making any sounds."

Littlefoot looked at her, "We can't…" They all looked to the far side of a ridge and saw one of the adults watching the children.

"That does annoy me," Cera grumbled, "They think we wouldn't listen."

"Erm… Cera, we haven't." Cera looked at Littlefoot with an annoyed frown. "Remember how many times we have disobeyed our families?"

Cera lowered her head in defeat, "Yeah… I remember."

"But me thought what we did was good?" Petrie said but looked a bit confused.

"Yep, yep, yep! We did, we did! We have done lots of things that has made us more better-er friends," Ducky smiled and Spike licked her as she giggled and hugged him back.

"Yeah, but I wonder if Wayne is ok…" Littlefoot turned his head to where the Unit was.

Cera walked up to Littlefoot's side, "I want to know too, but our parents will keep us home if we went there."

Littlefoot walked a bit in front of Cera before turning around and facing her, "I know… but he is our friend."

Petrie nodded, "Yeah he right. We Wayne's friend and he need friends to get better."

"I think we should go, oh yes, yes, yes," Ducky said as she jumped on Spike's head and he gave a smile and nod.

"I don't know… we could get in big trouble for this…" Cera hummed unsure as she looked at each one of their faces. Their expressions were argument enough, "Oh alright. I will come too, so you all aren't the only ones to get into trouble." Everyone cheered with Cera's choice and they all started to head to the rocky area of the Great Valley even having though an adult was watching them go. The dinosaur watched them go but didn't do anything but turned his eyes on more children in the Great Valley playing.

Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, Spike and Cera walked through the tree line areas to the rocky area but as they did, noises of something moving around nearby made them duck behind some bushes. Littlefoot looked over the bush.

"It's the silent one… Janny," Littlefoot whispered to them getting his head back down behind the bush, "Wonder what she is doing."

"Maybe some dumb human things…" Cera said and they all looked through the bushes to see Janny using a tool digging in the ground. Cera noticed the area Janny was digging at. "Hey Littlefoot, isn't that the place you cut your leg on that sharp shiny thing?"

Littlefoot looked at Cera then at the spot Janny digging and gasped, "Yeah, it is!" Littlefoot quietly but sharply said, "How did she guess where it was?"

"Maybe she good guesser?" Petrie suggested. Ducky looked at the device on the ground beside Janny.

"Could she find it by using human things?" Ducky asked.

"Let's see…" Cera paused looking up, "yes." Cera looked at Ducky saying her answer with a burst of annoyance.

"I see one over there. I do, I do," Ducky said pointing to it. Everyone looked at it and then looked at each other.

"Is it me or do humans not know how to use their own senses?" Cera wondered.

Littlefoot looked back to Janny and then Cera,

"Maybe their senses aren't as good as a dinosaur's."

"Me think so too," Petrie agreed.

"I agree, yep, yep, yep," Ducky joined in.

Cera shook her head, "Now I know why their world was falling apart, they made things that hurt their world."

"Really?" Ducky asked Cera.

"How am I supposed to know? I am only guessing here," Cera replied sharply a bit too loud which made Janny look over at the bushes for a second but then, returned to lifting small pieces of mirror and placing them in a small box.

"That was close, she almost saw us," Littlefoot sighed with relief wiping his forehead with his tail.

"Oops… I almost gave us away," Cera whispered.

"Would not be a first" Petrie mumbled and Cera looked right at him.

"What… did… you… say?" Cera said through clenched teeth, her anger filling her eyes.

"What? Me said nothing," Petrie panicked.

"Good," Cera took one step towards him making him fall over in fright landing on Spike's snout before Spike pushed him back on his feet.

"Thanks Spike," Petrie said and Spike licked him in reply.

A small stone then landed between the five dinosaurs making them all look at it. Then, Littlefoot looked behind him to see Janny standing there wearing something besides her usual white coat and black trousers. She was wearing a flower pattered t-shirt showing most of her arms, now a pale pinkish colour, and her trousers was a bluish colour with one white flowering vine patterning the right leg. Janny knelt down and gave Spike a small pat on the head with a smile before standing up to walk away. As she moved on, she gestured with her hand, signalling for them to follow her. Spike nodded and started walking after her.

"Looky! She wants us to come," Ducky said running up to Spike hoping on his tail, climbing up his back to sit on top of his head.

Petrie landed on Littlefoot's head, "Do you think she knew we come?" Petrie asked.

"I am not sure Petrie but I think it's best if we follow."

"And why that?" Cera then questioned.

Littlefoot looked at Cera, "Well…" Littlefoot put a thought to it, "to see if Wayne is any better. You want to know don't you?"

"Yeah of course I do, just wanted to see what you would say," Cera said closing her eyes with her snout in the air as she walked by Littlefoot. He smiled and followed close behind her.


	46. Chapter 45: The Wake up Call: Part 1

**Chapter 45: The Wake up Call: Part 1**

"No! Don't activate that!" a voice cried out from the large heavy unit as Littlefoot, Ducky, Petrie, Cera and Spike arrived. Seconds later, Stud fell out of the Unit door landing back first on the hard dirt followed by Maxcien who stepped outside with a spanner in her hand.

"Do you know how long that took to fix?"

"Sorry Maxcien, you said it was fixed so I tested it out," Stud said in defence and Maxcien lowered the spanner.

"Yes, you're right as always… Damn thing." Maxcien turned and went back into the Unit. Stud stood up and dusted himself off. He paused on hearing movement and he turned around,

"Oh Janny. I can explain what happened back there. It was a malfunction of the power relay. That got her angry and I was the fool to field test it." Janny smiled and placed a reassuring hand down on his shoulder before pointing to the children, "Right ma'am. I will take them to the med room to see their friend."

Janny gave a nod and walked by him into the Unit.

"Right, this way please and…" Stud looked at them coldly, "Don't touch anything. It's messier now then it was last time." Stud walked back in.

"Who does he think he is!? Telling us what to do!" Cera grunted sounding upset.

"Well…" Littlefoot started as he read the angry look on his friend's face, "It is theirs and we are guests in there. Respecting their rules is what our families would like us to do."

Ducky clapped her hands, "Oh yes, yes, yes. It would, it would."

"Me agree too. It not nice breaking rules when you the guest," Petrie said. Spike also nodded, agreeing with Littlefoot. Cera sighed knowing that, once again, Littlefoot had made a very good point.

"OK fine, you win. Daddy would be mad at me if I broke rules as a guest." Cera saw smiles come up from the group and she smiled back feeling a bit better, "So, what are we waiting for? Let's go in."

They all started walking up the steps into the Unit, feeling the cold slivery steps underfoot that they still hadn't quite gotten used to. It made them wonder why humans make such a strange floor and why they had to be so hard and cold to their bare feet. When they finally came into the same room, the corridor between the small rooms was in a mess. Vines were all over the place; hanging from the walls with the metal coverings off.

"Wow, they weren't kidding about the mess. It's all over the place," Cera said as she approached one of the vines.

"STOP!" someone shouted urgently. Cera froze in a second on command.

"That is a live and dangerous wire! You touch that and you'll go up like fireworks on the Fourth of July!" Alice warned as she walked up to the wire and, with a pair of rubber gloves on, picked up the wire and placed it to the side.

"Live!? Ha! That a laugh! Why's nothing bad happening to you then if it's so dangerous?" Cera said very sharply at Alice.

Alice raised her hands up, "Because electricity doesn't conduct through rubber and I am wearing rubber gloves."

"What is e-elec…?" Ducky babbled as she looked at Littlefoot.

"I don't know," Littlefoot replied looking at the wire that now to the side, "Maybe it's something in that thin vine."

"A very good guess Littlefoot and…" a cough interrupts Alice and she looks to see Stud waiting in the direction of the med room "Sorry, I have work to finish. Stud will take you to the med room. Just don't touch any wires," Alice said turning away and, picking up a screwdriver, quickly got back to work on the panelling.

"Thanks for the warning," Littlefoot said and they followed Stud, carefully stepping over the wires that lay over the flooring.

Having cautiously evaded the live wires that lay on the floor, they all made their way over to the med room where they all crowded around the window to see Wayne. However, they saw Alan looking down at Wayne with a finger holding Wayne's eyelid open. In his other hand, Alan had a small light which he flashed directly into his eye. After a second or two, Alan backed away, walked over to a chair and picked up a pad and pen to jot down some notes.

"Why hasn't he woken up?" Cera asked with some concern which prompted all the others to look at her peculiarly, "What? Can't I been worried for his health as well?" Cera barked back.

"We didn't say that Cera… it's just that… you never usually show that kind of concern…" Littlefoot replied.

"But me no get why he no wake up?" Petrie cawed as he looked up at heavily armed guard who looking at the boy as well.

Stud looked down at Petrie, "I am only a guard. How the hell am I suppose to know?" Stud walked to the door and pushed it open, "Go on in. Alan will explain…" After that, Stud turned away and double backed down the same corridor that he brought the children down.

Entering the room, Ducky was the first to ask from on top of Spike.

"Hi Alan. Why is Wayne not awake? Is he sick?" Alan sighed as he placed the pen down.

"If I said yes that would be lying…" they looked at Alan with silent but confused faces, "I ran every test I can think of and there seem to be nothing wrong with him. All injuries are healed and so is the blow to the head. But I can't seem to find anything wrong with him to be in this state. It's like he's trapped in something that he can't escape from."

Littlefoot was just as lost as the others, but still, he came forwards, "If he is fine all over, then… could he be having one of those real sleep stories? Like the ones that we all had when that… err cannon I think it cal…"

Littlefoot didn't get a chance to finish when Alan shot up out of his seat shouting. "Ah HA! You're a genius Littlefoot!" Alan yelled hysterically. The gang looked on in shock as Alan placed his hands over Littlefoot's head and kissed the top of it before letting go and going over to a panel, removing the catches on it.

Littlefoot stood in awe. He wasn't too sure why Alan had just kissed him but it seemed to come to a sense of logic to Alan.

"Littlefoot, I think he called you clever… but what's with that?" Cera asked just as dumbfounded as he was.

"Don't know…" Littlefoot replied still looking stunned.

Ducky looked at what was being removed from the place behind the panel,

"What are those three things you have there?"

"This, Ducky, is called a 'Synaptic Tri-Link'. It can link two others to this one." Alan explained as he placed one over Wayne's head with two wires connecting to the other two, "Put simply, two others can enter his subconscious, his 'dream world' and find out why he hasn't woken up or better yet… wake him up."

"So… only two can go into Wayne's sleep story?" Ducky asked warily.

"That's correct…" Alan verified.

They all gathered around, talking to each other out of earshot of Alan who watched them mumble to one another. After a minute or so, they stopped and turned to look at him. 'We made up our minds," Cera then spoke, "Me and Littlefoot will do it."

"What!? Are you two mad!? This has never been tested!" Alan said in protest, "If anything goes wrong, you two can lose higher brain functions. That means your speech, walking or maybe worse, your memories. I can't allow you to risk it!"

"But we will still do it. It's a risk we are willing to take for our friend. We all agreed that me and Cera will do it. Please let us," Littlefoot begged the scientist.

"No, and I am not going to let you. Not in a million years!" Alan told them all.

Ten minutes later, Alan found himself fitting the headpiece on Cera's head with Littlefoot's already done.

"How did I get talked into this…" Alan said as he finished fitting it on and getting up.

"Maybe it is because your heart is pure," Ducky said with a smile.

"Sometimes, I wish it wasn't," Alan said sniggering lightly before taking two needles out of a small box and turning to Cera and Littlefoot.

"Now, I will give you two something that will make you both sleepy. You both have to be asleep in order to enter Wayne's dream. Don't worry, there is a fail-safe should you need to come out. You can wake up anytime by just find the door with the green word 'Exit' on it. Like this." Alan wrote the word on paper and showed it to them.

"Right," they both said with a nod. Alan put the needle in Littlefoot's front leg and then Cera's.

"Good luck and Godspeed," Alan said.

"Is it working?" Petrie asked and then saw both of them fall onto their sides and close their eyes.

"Cera! Littlefoot!" Petrie and Ducky cried out. The three of them ran to their sides.

"Don't worry, they're only sleeping. They will enter Wayne's dream or 'sleep story' as you call it," Alan said looking at the monitor displaying the life signs of Wayne, Littlefoot and Cera. They silently nod and look at the two fallen friends hoping for the best.

Alan pulled up his chair and sank into it and sighed heavily, "And now… we wait."


	47. Chapter 46: The Wake up Call: Part 2

**Chapter 46: The Wake up Call: Part 2**

A fog covered the view and the floor limiting the sight of right in the faces of anyone that was around. Two shadows appear and formed into solid bodies. The two stood on four legs complete with a tail each plus one of them had a long neck. The forms totally formed leaving them in the thick fog. Littlefoot looked around and so did Cera but there was nothing to see but a misty cloud that was right against their end of snouts.

"I can't see a thing," Cera groaned.

"Maybe we're in some area of Wayne's sleep story," Littlefoot said. Cera just gave a puff of air shaking her hand but stops seeing her puff.

"Littlefoot, did you see that?" Cera looked at Littlefoot who gave a nod in reply, "I think we are in this sleep story of his or all our sleep stories are mixed with it."

Littlefoot wasn't sure if they could move in this place but nothing seemed to make sense, "Maybe, but we're not there yet."

Cera shook her head, "Whatever…" Cera walked a bit and her foot hit something. It felt solid. That's when a wall appeared.

"Ah!" Cera screeched seeing the walls appear all around her and Littlefoot. It stopped when a brown door appeared on each wall around of them. One behind, one to the left, one to the right and one to the front. Each door had a pattern on them, two matching pairs. Littlefoot and Cera looked at each of them in turn; their expressions very much confused.

"These two look like humans," Cera said looking at the doors to their right and in front.

"And these are Threehorns," Littlefoot said looking at the other two doors.

"What can they mean?" Cera placed a foot on one of the doors with a Threehorn on it.

Littlefoot went to Cera and looked at it, "Look at the Threehorn… it's not complete. It must not be real… like some sort of sleep story trap?"

"Trap? You can see it?" Cera blinked at it before moving over to the other door and pressed a foot against it, "It's not moving." Littlefoot came up to it and put a foot on it as well. It suddenly glowed and then the light blinded them.

The light slowly died down and Littlefoot and Cera soon found themselves standing in a forest filled with life, complete with a forest ambience. Littlefoot and Cera didn't wait long before they started walking along the undergrowth of the forest, feeling the soft grass under their feet.

"What was that flash?" Cera asked as they walked further and further.

Littlefoot looked at her still walking at her pace, "No idea, I think it was to bring us here… I think his sleep story is made him lose himself."

"Lose himself? How is that possible?" Cera asked and thought about the joint sleep story that she, Wayne and Littlefoot had. "Do you mean that Wayne is in two? He sleep story made him two? One threehorn and one human?"

Littlefoot gave a nod "I think it is…"

Cera was about to say something when a threehorn came out of nowhere, running straight into her. He quickly recovered from the blow and was quick to show his anger.

"Watch where you're going!" he snapped at her.

Cera shook her head and pushed herself up, "What do you mean by that!? You're the…" Cera paused looking at him, "W-Wayne!?"

"And?" he grumbled as he looked at her

Cera looked at him in shock, "Wayne? It's me, Cera! Don't you remember!"

"I know who you are… your point being?" Wayne snorted before turned away to a bush to take a bite out of it.

"What is it with him? He's all…" Cera whispered to Littlefoot.

"Grumpy? Yeah I see it. I bet it's the Threehorn side of him," Littlefoot quietly said back to Cera.

"Come again?" Cera snapped looking at him. Wayne stopped eating and looked over to them out of the corner of his eye.

"The human, Helienson, before becoming free from that control, put Threehorn blood in him. He's human but has threehorn in him… so this sleep story must have split him in two; one threehorn and the other human. Maybe if we get them together, it will make him wake up." Littlefoot suggested. It seemed to make sense to him having grasped an understanding of what was happening in this sleep story.

"Are you sure?" Cera questioned just as the threehorn side of Wayne went up to them.

They looked at him.

"I do feel a part of me missing. If you are right longneck then I am only part of me and my other part is somewhere else… I've been here for days and it's like this place goes on forever," he said to Littlefoot and Cera giving a deep disturbing sound to Littlefoot.

"Hey, don't have a go at my friend!" Cera warned Wayne. She did not like his attitude towards Littlefoot.

"Whatever!" Wayne snapped back. Without thinking, Cera rammed him with her head shoving him sideways into a tree.

"What the!?" Alan yelped as he looked at Wayne's monitor. It was as if something had caused his blood to suddenly race.

"What is it? Why is it making loud noises?" Ducky asked covering her ears up.

"Me head hurts," Petrie complained. Spike dropped his head to the ground and placed both front feet over his head. Alan checked the readings again,

"Something in this dream is making any injury present in real-time. So what's happening in his mind is happening to him here," Alan said to them, "we have to hope nothing really bad is happening there in."

Wayne slowly rose up on his four feet, recovering from the blow and looked at Cera maliciously.

"You want to start! I'll gladly do so!" he snapped at her. Cera got ready for another attack.

"C-Cera… I can't…" Wayne suddenly said, not moving from his position. Cera relaxed and stood calmly confused by his sudden change of mind, "I… I am sorry… I can't live without being complete… the human side of me is suffering hurt and pain, all because of my side is angry at what Helienson did to me… he made me a freak."

"Freak? Wayne you're not a freak. You are just caught up in all this, like we are." Littlefoot walked up to Wayne seeing he was having some trouble standing upright. Wayne was about to slip back on his side but Littlefoot supported him,

"We all are friends, even though we fight sometimes. We always argue but we always help each other if needed. We are always best friends, no one can change that. Me, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, Spike… and even you.

Wayne looked up at Littlefoot and smiled at him.

"Let's find my other half," Wayne said and trying to walk. He almost fell over but Cera quickly got to his other side.

"Sorry Wayne. I didn't mean to hurt you this much," Cera apologised feeling guilty for causing him pain.

"Cera, if that was to bring my senses back, I'd say it was worth it. There is no need to be sorry. I'll live I'm sure," Wayne said to her calmly; no amount of hate was in his voice.

"Right, let's do it," Cera said. They started to walk together forwards and another bright flash erupted before them. They all found themselves back in the four walled room again but this time only two doors remained.

Cera looked at the two doors, "Which one?" Cera looked at both symbols but they looked very much alike, "I can't tell the difference between them."

Threehorn Wayne looked at the doors too and so did Littlefoot, "What is this anyway?"

"It's what you… oh wait… you're the side that doesn't know human things," Littlefoot said after a slightly pause.

"Well yeah, if that means threehorn talk," Wayne grumbled feeling that Littlefoot was annoying, but somewhere, deep down, he knew this is not him. This only added more to his hope of being reunited with his human side.

"How about we look at one door a little more closely; put our heads together," Wayne suggested.

"What?" Cera blinked forcing him to roll his eyes.

"Like this." Wayne walked up next to Cera and put his head right against the side of Cera's head.

"Now you," he said motioning to Littlefoot. Littlefoot did as instructed and put his head next to Wayne's. They then looked up at one of the doors and they saw a cross appear.

"I am guessing that one is the bad door," Cera said as they broke formation. Cera and Littlefoot each placed a foot on the door. Wayne, apprehensive at first, followed their lead and the door glowed white before it blinded them.

The light died down and the view cleared to a dark area of street lit by a streetlamp. The three dinosaurs looked around the dark street strewn with a few dim lights and trash cans about the place, along with other human items that the three of them didn't recognise.

"This must be Wayne's hidden side… his past," Littlefoot said remembering what Wayne said to him one day when they both came down with a cold.

"This? This smell…" Threehorn Wayne said to them. Then, something came out of the shadows of a side door. "Mum!?"

"Mum!?" Littlefoot and Cera said in awe looking at each other before looking over to what Wayne was focused on. They saw a human woman carrying a boy down the alley passing them like they weren't there.

"Hey, look at the sky!" Cera said looking up as the ground rumbled a tiny bit. The other two looked up; gazing at the clouds which began covering the sky quickly followed by falling rain. Wayne started to run towards his mother but the others jumped in his path.

"Get out of the way! I've got to warn her!" he shouted but suddenly Wayne's human side appeared, walked up to Threehorn Wayne and knelt down.

"I know how you feel… I feel like saving her now. But I've been doing that for the last eleven days and I know it can't be done…" the human side said with some sadness as the quake hit its peak. The group seemed to be unaffected by the quake as Littlefoot and Cera watched the two sides of Wayne talking to each other.

"I don't want to lose her… she means far too much to me."

"She is, that's why she is here," the human side said placing his hand flat against the centre of his chest. Threehorn Wayne looked at him with watery eyes.

"I see… she's here… she's always been here… and in our dreams." Threehorn Wayne said with a smile as the human side of Wayne wiped his tears away.

"Or sleep stories," the human side said and they both smiled. Then, in that instant, Wayne's human side rose his hand up. In a similar movement, Threehorn Wayne lifted his foot and placed the flat of his foot against the palm of Human Wayne's hand. All the while, the events of Wayne's past continued to portray exactly as they did all that time ago, right down to every last detail. Soon, they noticed the green EXIT Alan had described but they didn't go for it since the two sides where joining into one and the sleep was going to come to an end. Suddenly, there was another flash and, before Littlefoot and Cera's eyes, the saw only one of Wayne. He was standing there, fully formed and completely human.

"Wayne! You're back to normal!" Cera said with a smile.

"Yeah and thanks to you two," Wayne thanked patting Littlefoot on the head and kissing Cera's nape shield.

"Ah geez…" Cera shied feeling happy helping out but also felt a bit embarrassed as well. Littlefoot took notice of the land around them as three beams of light heading towards the middle.

"Erm… guys? We're at the place where we longnecks stopped the bright circle falling."

"Hey, you're right!" Cera said seeing the beams heading to the middle and Wayne took a look up.

"Whoa! That's one large rock! It's blacking out the sun!" Wayne said and they looked up seeing the shining purple hazes that the rock was giving off. A bright flash caught their eyes. Looking to the point of the flash, they saw a circle forming from the three beams and it then blasted with high winds. Then, another flash seemed to show what was going to happen. As they continued to watch the circle of white light, it suddenly crash into the ground with a giant blast.

"AHHHHHH!!" Wayne, Cera and Littlefoot all cried before they all woke up at once with frightened faces.

"What happened?" Ducky asked with concern.

"Yeah, you all woke from bad sleep story," Petrie said also concerned. Spike stood by looking worried too. Alan quickly looked over the graph papers with shock.

"This… This is impossible…"

"What is?" Petrie flew over to Alan, looking over his shoulder at the zigzagging lines, "What they mean?"

Alan turned his head to the small flyer, "This means that they all should have died of a synaptic shock to the brain stem." Alan looked at them utterly shocked to have seen what had just happened.

"But, it's like something, for a split second there, protected this deadly brain failure."

"Wow, that must be lucky," Cera blurted out as Alan stuck an end of a stick on Cera's snout just below her horn.

"Lucky!? It was a miracle!" Alan exclaimed as he removed the stick and placed it down on a nearby table, "I would have asked to keep you three here for more tests to find out why this happened, but the link that I made for you two to get Wayne to awaken has caused a seventeen percent power drain on all systems within the Unit."

Wayne rubbed his head and looked at Alan, "I am getting a feeling your telling us that this huge vehicle is low on power." Alan gave a nod tossing over a chart to Wayne and he caught it looking at it.

"What do all these numbers mean? I might know date, time and English writing but this is confusing," Wayne said looking bemused.

"This is the charts of the power level. The lower the numbers, the lower the power output from the crystal that Helienson made," Alan told them, "By tomorrow evening, the power output will reach zero." Alan removed a cover showing more wiring that was already showing all over the floor outside the med room.

"Why do you have all those vine things then?" Littlefoot asked not understanding the real purpose of power that flows in the wires.

"This is hard to explain but I will say this. We are using power reserves which are using these extra wirings. But that will not last. Unless we find somewhere to heat up the gem," Alan said placing the panel back over the exposed wires.

"Heat? Like Threehorn Peak? That has lot of heat," Cera said naively which instantly sparked Alan's thoughts.

"Threehorn Peak? A volcano? Perfect!" Alan said clicking his fingers. He was about to go over to her but she stuck a foot up.

"Don't you dare!" Cera barked at him.

Alan looked at the window and saw Alice pointing to her watch.

"Oh!" Alan said looking at the group of dinosaurs, "You all better get back to your homes. It's almost sunset."

"Really? Me no want mama knowing me here," Petrie protested but Alan had already opened the door and signalled for them to leave.

"We will see you tomorrow Wayne. We will, we will," Ducky smiled jumping atop Spike, "let us go home Spike." Spike smiled, hummed sweetly at Wayne before walking out the door.

"Wayne… it's good to see you're ok. I hope we will not have a sleep story like that again," Littlefoot said walking out the door and heading to the exit.

"Hey Wayne…"

"Yes Cera?" Wayne looked at the threehorn standing by the bed. Cera looked down at the steel flooring,

"Sorry… for what I did in the sleep story."

Wayne placed a hand on top of her head, "It's ok Cera… apology accepted."

Cera shifted her front foot a bit "I know this is out of place of me but…" Wayne looked at her a little lost as Cera struggled to continue, "Would you like to come with me back to the nest. I am sure that Daddy would be happy to see you're ok too."

Wayne looked at Alan who was still by the door, "It's up to you kid. We busy with work here so I am not stopping you. Just don't get hurt since something about this time and all of us has a reason. Plus, you hold the last thing that the Black Raptor wants." Alan told Wayne before leaving the room to meet up with Alice outside the med room.

"Let's go then," Cera said walking up to the door and looking back at Wayne, "Well? Are you coming or not?" she said impatiently.

Wayne took a gulp, knowing that she would do end up doing something that would make him regret refusing her offer.

"Coming!" Wayne said quickly as he got out of the bed. To his surprise, he was still fully clothed complete with his shoes on.

"Talk about not following hygiene rules…" Wayne mumbled.

"High what?" Cera asked.

"Some rules enforced in places like this medical room. Helps prevent people getting any sicker," Wayne said to her.

"More human things. Why do you make your lives so difficult for yourselves?" Cera said with a frown.

"Ask them," Wayne joked as they walked out the room, down the corridor until they reached the exit. Together they walked to Cera's home with smiles on their faces.


	48. Chapter 47: Black Heart

**Chapter 47: Black Heart**

The sun was slowly lowering in the sky as was the light over the rocky landscape where the canyon routes, carved from flooding in the far past, now gave way to routes for dinosaurs to take. However, an alien light shone from within a cavern not far from an open field route walked by many a herd of many type of dinosaurs. Inside the cavern, the light was created from a set of three rods placed in a triangle by the dark predator, the Black Raptor. She fixed the rods on the ground and took a few steps back from them.

"Good thing about Tri-MacRock-Labs… the 3D imaging system works at trimacix frequency linked to the present," Black Raptor told herself taking hold of the remote and pushed the red button. The rods activated and a light along the inner parts shined against each other, forming into a 3D holo-image of Chi-Sanner.

"Ah, I see the good lady has made it there safely even though it has been about… two weeks since we lost contact with you?" he said over the crackling static.

Black Raptor crossed her arms, "I got your long range spectral transmission a few days ago. So what is it old man? I got a mission to complete…" Black Raptor said with a thin line of patience in her mind.

"I have the Chrono Maximum at the point. It can be at maximum until we have those three nanochips," Chi-Sanner said to her. He then lifted a hand up showing an image beside him, "This is what I called you for. We've managed to run a system following on others pasts from the points they are born. I want you to give me names so I can check them out if they will be a threat to this mission," Chi-Sanner explained pointing at his new system.

"I see. Well, I have a list stored as a file on this disc right here. If you know how to transfer it through sixty-five million years without it degrading," Black Raptor said flatly waving the disc in her hand having taken it out of the bag sitting beside a rock.

"Simple. All you do is place it in one of the rods and it will send it all to me in a second. You, however, will just have to wait till morning. Your data of all those on that disc will be yours in a neatly packed gift to you, my dear lady." Chi-Sanner raised his arms in the air and looked behind him as Black Raptor placed the disc in to transfer the data.

"That is a lot of names and pictures…" he looked back at Black Raptor.

"I've been here for two weeks old man… so this is the list that I want to know about. Give it to me by morning like you said or no deal with the chips and if there're others that met with the ones in that list, I want to know about them as well." Black Raptor pushed the red button on the remote and the image disappeared. She took out a cigarette and placed it in her mouth. Just as she was about to light it, she heard a sound. Looking to the entrance of the cavern, she saw a bird that was sitting on a large alligator.

"Oh no, not you two again… this is the seventeenth time this week. Can't you two learn that I am not going to be eaten by the likes of you idiots," Black Raptor moaned as she pulled out her gun and took aim at them, "This time, I will not go lightly. I will shoot you now, and then talk."

"Wait, wait!" Icky cawed waving his wings up and down, "We want to talk… right Dil?"

"Yes Icky! What did we talk about before coming here!" Dil shouted at Icky. Black Raptor leaned up against the rocky side of the cavern, waiting for the explosion of temper.

Icky looked into one of Dil's eyes with an angry glance, "Hey! Don't shout at me. I am not the one who can't see well!"

"Why I oughta hit you!" Dil growled.

"Are you done or should I take a rain check on the meeting for now?" Black Raptor interrupted. Walking up to them, she poked Dil on the end of the snout, "Now, tell me. What is it you want to talk about before I get bored and shoot you two anyhow?" Black Raptor raised her gun putting right against Icky's torso.

Icky pushed the barrel away from his body with his wings, "I told you, we're here to just talk. Don't worry, ok!"

"Like what Icky said, you are too much trouble for us to catch. That's why we want to talk," Dil spoke up. She watched with some difficult as Black Raptor move away from them.

"Then speak!" Black Raptor shouted at them.

"Do you know you look…" Icky started but was quickly cut off.

"Tell me now! You got five seconds!" Black Raptor warned them.

"Ok it was that we… erm," Dil paused looking up at Icky.

"I forgot," Icky said dumbly. Angered, Black Raptor pulled the trigger on her gun and let off a bullet next to Dil's front foot.

"Get out of here and never return! Or I will kill you two for sure!!" Black Raptor fired off another shot and another at Dil's feet making the bellydragger back away before turning away to make a run for it.

"Bloody large mouth idiot and beak head friend… God! They are so annoying when it comes to completing a mission…"

"She is worse than anything!" Icky cried out as Dil moved quickly out the cavern not noticing a large herd of longnecks nearby.

"I know Icky! Let forgot this place. The Land of Mist was better for getting a meal," Dil suggested getting further away from the cavern.

"For once Dil, that a good plan you've come up with," Icky said also feeling scared to be near Black Raptor. Even though she was a human that had a temper, she also had a power that scared them both.

Black Raptor placed the gun back in is holster and walked to the rods. Picking them up, she packed them back in their holders and placed them back on the side of her bike. She started to take down the wall lighting she fitted in the cavern, turned them off one by one and placed them back in the bag.

"This better be worth the pay… I had to deal with missions before but this is far from normal," she mumbled as she took down more of the wall lighting and packed them in the bag. Black Raptor placed the last one in the bag and fastened the bag onto the back of the bike seat as she checked the other gear she took with her.

"Ah, my trusty sniper rifle and one super, long range rocket launcher; the key to my success," she smirked as she looked down at her leg, "But a knife always helps." She pulled the knife out of her leg strap and looked at her knife with an even bigger smirk.

Black Raptor looked at the entrance of the cavern, noticing the large movements of large and heavy dinosaurs.

"Brontosaurus… lots of them. Must be a herd," Black Raptor said to herself as a cruel smile came to her face, "And if I am right, one Brontosaurus has a special place in their heart for the brat with the last nanochip. Well, I have that something for that one." She looked at the launcher on the side of her bike. She sat down by the cavern wall looking at her bike. "By tomorrow, I will have that nanochip and be out of this hell hole of a world." Black Raptor held her gun close to her chest as she closed her eyes, getting ready for her nap. "Soon you will meet your doom child," she whispered with an evil smile as she faded into a light sleep.


End file.
